W.  Louis  Shipton, 
Buxton. 


EIGHT    YEARS    IN 
CEYLON 


BY 

SIR  SAMUEL  W.  BAKER,  M.A,  F.R.S,  F.R.G.S. 

LATE   PACHA   AND    MAJOR-GENERAL   OF   THE  OTTOMAN    EMPIRE 

GOLD    MEDALLIST   OF   THE   ROYAL  GEOGRAPHICAL  SOCIETY,    AND  GRANDE   M^DAILLE 

d'oR   DE   la   SOCIl^T^   DE    G^OGRAPHIE   DE   PARIS 

AUTHOR   OF    "rifle   AND   HOUND   IN   CEYLON,"    "  ALBERT   n'yANZA,   GREAT    BASIN 

OF  THE    NILE,"    "nILE   TRIBUTARIES   OF   ABYSSINIA,"    "  ISMAILIA,"   ETC. 


NEW    IMPRESSION 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS 


LONGMANS,    GREEN,    AND    CO. 

39    PATERNOSTER    ROW,    LONDON 

NEW   YORK   AND    BOMBAY 

1902 

All  rights    reserved 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2007  witii  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


littp://www.arcliive.org/details/eiglityearsinceylOObakericli 


Bis 

I  fox 


PREFACE 

TO 

THE     NEW     EDITION. 


Nearly  twenty  years  ago,  when  settled  in  the  island 
of  Ceylon,  I  wrote  this  book. 

The  lapse  of  this  interval  of  time  has  produced 
many  important  changes ;  Ceylon  has  progressed, 
and  is  become  one  of  our  most  prosperous  colonies. 

My  work  published  in  1855,' closed  with  these 
words — *  For  me  Ceylon  has  always  had  a  charm,  and 
I  shall  ever  retain  a  vivid  interest  in  the  colony. 

*  I  trust  that  a  new  and  more  prosperous  era  has 
now  commenced,  and  that  Ceylon,  having  shaken  off 
the  incubus  of  mismanagement,  may,  under  the  rule 
of  a  vigorous  and  enterprising  governor,  arrive  at  that 
prosperity  to  which  she  is  entitled  by  her  capabilities. 

*  The   governor    recently   appointed    (Sir   Henry 

711 


iv  PREFACE    TO 

Ward),  has  a  task  before  him  which  his  well-known 
energy  will  doubtless  enable  him  to  perform.' 

Upon  the  arrival  of  Sir  Henry  Ward  in  the 
colony,  he  quickly  entered  upon  reforms ;  among 
which  he  adopted  my  suggestions  for  the  restoration 
of  ancient  irrigation  works. 

From  the  advent  of  Sir  H.  Ward,  the  colony  has 
been  blessed  with  good  government,  and  under  the  able 
administration  of  energetic  governors,  railways  have 
opened  up  the  interior ;  excellent  roads  have  cut 
through  the  dense  jungles,  connecting  distant  points 
of  the  island  with  the  capital ;  ancient  tanks  have  in 
several  districts  been  repaired,  and  the  system  of 
artificial  irrigation  has  been  successfully  renewed. 

The  result  of  irrigation  has  been  an  immense  in- 
crease in  the  production  of  rice.  I  have  been  informed 
that  in  a  district  that  was  in  my  time  a  dense  jungle 
redolent  of  malaria,  and  only  inhabited  by  wild 
animals,  there  is  now  a  vast  plain  comprising  25,000 
acres  of  rice  cultivation. 

This  satisfactory  advancement  is  a  proof  of  the 
correctness  of  my  theories  expressed  twenty  years 
ago,  and  the  future  will  develop  the  extraordinary 
resources  of  the  country. 

The  recent  famine  in   India  is  a  severe  lesson  that 


THE  NEW  EDITION,  v 

should  be  a  warning  to  every  administration.  Ceylon 
has  suffered  from  the  high  prices  caused  by  the 
scarcity  of  imported  grain  ;  this  grave  event  should 
determine  the  necessity  of  a  home  production. 

Should  the  magnificent  irrigation  works  of  the 
ancients  be  gradually  restored,  the  population  may 
be  relatively  increased,  not  only  by  the  coolies  of 
Malabar,  but  by  an  importation  of  the  industrious 
Chinese.  The  introduction  of  that  energetic  race 
would  infuse  a  new  spirit  of  rivalry,  and  the  more  in- 
dolent Cingalese  would  either  be  outstripped  by 
their  competitors,  or  would  be  excited  to  extra 
exertion. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Ceylon  should  be  in- 
dependent of  a  rice  supply  from  without,  and  the  day 
will,  I  believe,  arrive  when  the  colony  will  export 
instead  of  importing  that  great  staple  of  the  East. 

The  change  that  has  taken  place  throughout  the 
coffee  districts  is  extraordinary.  Vast  forests  in  which 
I  formerly  hunted  the  elk  (sambur  deer),  and  boar, 
have  entirely  disappeared.  Mountains  that  were 
clothed  with  jungles,  damp  and  dreary  solitudes, 
pathless,  and  then  unknown,  are  now  thriving  planta- 
tions of  coffee  that  have  rewarded  the  industry  of 
their  proprietors.     The  stride  of   civilization   during 


7i  PREFACE   TO 

the   past   twenty   years   has   been    enormous  —  *  the 
wilderness  has  blossomed  as  the  rose.' 

It  is  already  difficult  to  procure  forest  land  that  is 
adapted  for  coffee  cultivation,  and  the  time  will  arrive 
when  every  available  acre  will  be  made  productive. 

My  old  home  in  the  mountains  of  Newera  Ellia 
has  shared  in  the  general  prosperity,  and  has  bene- 
fited by  the  increased  wealth  of  the  country.  It  is 
now  an  important  station,  and  is  approached  by  ex- 
cellent roads,  which  extend  direct  to  the  sea-coast  at 
Batticaloa. 

The  formerly  swampy  plain  of  Newera  Ellia  is 
about  to  be  converted  into  a  large  lake,  by  the  forma- 
tion of  a  dam  that  will  prevent  the  escape  of  the 
river.  This  is  intended  as  an  ornament  to  the  now 
fashionable  sanitorium,  but  a  reservoir  of  water  at  that 
elevation  (6,200  feet  above  the  sea-level)  may  be  of 
important  service  for  the  future  irrigation  of  the  lower 
country. 

The  Cinchona  plant  is  successfully  cultivated  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Newera  Ellia.  Tea  has  been 
grown  of  the  finest  quality,  and  it  is  supposed  that  it 
will  eventually  supplant  the  wild  forests  of  the  higher 
mountains,  in  the  same  manner  that  coffee  has  usurped 
their  place  on  lower  altitudes. 


THE  NEW  EDITION,  rii 

Such  is  the  faint  outline  of  the  present  condition 
of  Ceylon,  which  I  give  upon  hearsay ;  I  have  not 
seen  the  colony  since  twenty  years.  The  success  of 
that  important  island  is  the  happy  result  of  good 
management;  and  the  able  and  energetic  administrator, 
Mr.  Gregory,  who  at  this  moment  represents  the  go- 
vernment, is  one  under  whom  Ceylon  cannot  fail  to 
advance  in  material  prosperity. 

I  give  my  old  work  to  the  public  in  its  original 
integrity,  as  written  many  years  ago  when  I  worked 
as  an  early  pioneer,  and  assisted  in  the  advancement 
of  the  colony  by  opening  a  future  for  the  now 
prosperous  mountain  settlement  of  Newera  EUia. 

Sam.  W.  Baker. 


PREFACE. 


Eight  years'  wanderings  in  Ceylon  have  created  a 
love  for  this  beautiful  island  which  can  only  be 
equalled  by  my  affection  for  Old  England,  from 
which  the  independence  of  a  wild  life,  combined  with 
an  infatuation  for  rambling  into  every  unvisited  nook 
and  corner,  sentenced  me  to  a  term  of  voluntary 
exile. 

During  this  period  my  delight  has  been  in  tracing 
the  great  natural  resources  of  the  country,  in  obsenr- 
ing  the  immense  relics  of  its  former  prosperity,  and 
contrastmg  the  past  grandeur  and  energy  of  an 
extinct  race  with  the  apathetic  and  selfish  policy  ol 
our  present  system. 

It  is  the  false  economy  of  our  present  government 
to  leave  untested  the  actual  capabilities  of  its  posses- 
sions. Thus,  while  Ceylon  remains  with  ruined  tanks, 
deserted   cities,  and   vast  tracts  of  uncultivated  rice 


X  PREFACE, 

lands,  India,  governed  by  the  Company,  ib  advancing 
in  cultivation.  New  tanks  are  formed,  new  canals  for 
irrigation  penetrate  through  hitherto  barren  jungles, 
and  arouse  the  soil  to  fertility.  In  fact  the  vigilant 
eye  of  the  Company  is  directed  to  the  true  resources 
of  the  country,  and  every  acre  of  available  land 
should  yield  its  proportion  to  the  revenue. 

Without  the  statistical  details  which  would  render 
a  description  laborious  to  the  general  reader,  I  shall 
endeavour  to  %\v^  an  impartial  picture  of  Ceylon  as 
it  is,  touching  lightly  upon  the  past,  in  order  to  prove 
the  possibility  of  improvement  for  the  future.  Hav- 
ing given  an  account  of  the  sports  of  the  country  in 
the  'Rifle  and  Hound,'  I  shall  not  dwell  at  too 
great  length  upon  this  topic,  how  tenipting  soever  it 
may  be. 

In  these  days,  when  the  enterprise  of  Englishmen 
is  exhibited  on  so  large  a  scale  by  the  stream  of 
emigration  to  foreign  shores,  a  few  hints  may  not  be 
uninteresting  to  the  intending  settler.  We  are  all 
more  or  less  sanguine,  and,  if  unguided  by  the  expe- 
rience of  age,  we  are  apt  to  paint  the  future  too 
brightly.  This  is  an  error  which  entails  disappoint- 
ment and  regret  upon  the  hasty  emigrant,  who  may 
discover,  when  far  from  his  deserted  home,  that  the 


PREFACE,  xi 

paradise  which  he  had  pictured  to  himself  is  but 
earthly  after  all,  and  is  accompanied  by  drawbacks 
and  hardships  which  he  had  not  anticipated. 

It  is  not  every  temperament  that  is  fitted  for  the 
anxieties  of  a  wild  life  in  a  strange  land.  This  many 
persons  who  have  left  England  confident  in  their 
own  strength  have  discovered,  unfortunately,  when 
too  late. 

Englishmen,  however,  are  naturally  endowed  with 
a  spirit  of  adventure.  There  is  in  the  hearts  of  all  a 
germ  of  freedom  which  longs  to  break  through  the 
barriers  that  confine  us  to  our  own  shores ;  and  as 
the  newborn  wildfowl  takes  to  water  from  its  deserted 
egg-shell,  so  we  wander  over  the  world  when  launched 
on  our  own  resources. 

This  innate  spirit  of  action  is  the  mainspring  of 
the  power  of  England.  Go  where  you  will,  from 
north  to  south  and  from  east  to  west,  you  meet  an 
Englishman.  Sail  round  the  globe,  and  upon  every 
point  of  strength  the  Union  Jack  gladdens  your  eye, 
and  you  think  with  wonder  of  the  vast  possessions 
which  have  been  conquered,  and  the  immense  tracts 
of  country  that  have  been  peopled  by  the  overflow  of 
our  little  island. 

Among  the  list  of  possessions,  Ceylon  is  but  a 


xii  PREFACE, 

Speck  ;  nevertheless,  the  act  of  settling  in  one  colony 
is  a  fair  sample  of  the  general  hardships  of  emigra- 
tion. I  shall  therefore  introduce  a  slight  sketch  of  a 
settlement  in  Ceylon,  which  may  give  some  insight 
into  the  little  disappointments,  inseparable  from  a 
new  enterprise.  The  reader  will,  I  trust,  wander  with 
me  in  my  rambles  through  this  lovely  country,  and 
endeavour  to  pass  an  idle  hour  among  the  scenes 
portrayed. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPITER  I. 

PACl 

Colombo — Dulness  of  the  Town  —Cinnamon  Gardens —  A  Cingalese 
Appo— Ceylon  Sport — ^Jungle  Fever — Newera  EUia — Energy  of 
Sir  E.  Barnes —Influence  of  the  Governor — Projected  Improve- 
ments      I 


CHAPTER  II. 

Past  Scenes — Attractions  of  Ceylon — Emigration — Difficulties  in 
Settling— Accidents  and  Casualties — An  Eccentric  Groom — 
Insubordination — Commencement  of  Cultivation — Sagacity  of 
the  Elephant— Disappointments — *  Death  '  in  the  Settlement — 
Shocking  Pasturage — Success  of  Emigrants —*  A  good  Knock- 
about kind  of  a  Wife'      ........     13 

CHAPTER   III. 

Task  Completed — The  Mountain-top — Change  m  the  Face  of 
Nature — Original  Importance  of  Newera  Ellia — *  The  Path  of  a 
Thousand  Princes ' — Vestiges  of  Former  Population — Mountains 
— The  Highlands  of  Ouva — Ancient  Methods  of  Irrigation — 
Remains  of  Aqueducts — The  Vale  of  Rubies — Ancient  Ophir — 
Discovery  of  Gold — Mineral  Resources — Native  Blacksmiths     .     30 

CHAPTER   IV. 

Poverty  of  Soil — Ceylon  Sugar— Fatality  of  Climate — Supposed 
Fertility   of  Soil — Native   Cultivation — Neglect  of  Rice  Culti- 


IV  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

vation — Abandoned  Reservoirs — Fonner  Prosperity — Ruins  of 
Cities — Pollanarua — The  Great  Dagoba — Architectural  Relics — 
The  Rock  Temple — Destruction  of  Population — Neglected  Capa- 
bilities— Suggestions  for  increasing  Population— Progress  of 
Pestilence — Deserted  Villages— Difficulties  in  the  Cultivation  of 
Rice — Division  of  Labour — Native  Agriculture         .         .         .53 


CHAPTER  V. 

Real  Cost  of  Land — Want  of  Communication — Coffee  Planting — 
Comparison  between  French  and  English  Settlers — Landslips — 
Forest  Clearing — Manuring — The  Coffee  Bug— Rats— Fatted 
Stock — Suggestions  for  Sheep  Farming— Attack  of  a  Leopard — 
Leopards  and  Chetahs — Boy  Devoured— Traps— Musk  Cats,  and 
the  Mongoose — Vermin  of  Ceylon 8a 


*.:HAPTER  VI. 

'  Game  Eyes '  for  Wild  Sports — Enjojrments  of  Wild  Life— Cruelty 
of  Sports — Native  Hunters — Moormen  Traders — Their  wretched 
Guns — Rifles  and  Smooth-Bores — Heavy  Balls  and  Heavy 
Metal— Beattie's  Rifles— Balls  and  Patches— Experiments— The 
Double-groove — Power  of  Heavy  Metal — Curious  Shot  at  a 
Bull  Elephant — African  and  Ceylon  Elephahts — Structure  of 
Skull — Lack  of  Trophies — Boar  Spears  and  Hunting  Knives — 
*  Bertram  ' — A  Boar-himt — Fatal  Cut no 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Curious  Phenomenon — Panorama  of  Ouva — South-west  Monsoon 
— Hunting  Followers — Fort  M 'Donald  River — ^Jungle  Paths — 
Dangerous  Locality — Great  Waterfall — Start  for  Himting — The 
Find— A  Gallant  Stag — 'Bran'  and  'Lucifer* — *Phrenzy's\ 
Death — Buck  at  Bay — The  Cave  Hunting-box — 'Madcap's' 
Dive — Elk  Soup— Former  Inundation — '  Bluebeard'  Leads  Off 
— '  Hecate's  '  Course— The  Elk's  Leap — Variety  of  Deer — The 
Axis — Ceylon  Bears — Variety  of  Vermin — Trials  for  Hounds — 
Hounds  and  their  Masters— A  Sportsman  '  shut  up  ' — A  Cor- 
poral aiid  Centipede 145 


CONTENTS, 


CHAPTER  Vlll. 

PAGI* 

Obsei-vatious  on  Nature  in  the  Tropics— The  Dung  Beetle — The 
Ma>on  Fly — Spiders  -Luminous  Insects — Efforts  of  a  Naturalist 
— Dogs  Worried  by  Leeches — Tropical  Diseases — Malaria — 
Causes  of  Infection — Disappearance  of  the  'Mina' — Poisonous 
Water— Well-digging  Elepliants       ,         .  .         .  197 


X 


CHAPTER   IX. 

Instinct  and  Reason— Tailor  Birds  and  Grosbeaks— 'I'he  White 
Ant — Black  Ants  at  War- -Wanderoo  Monkeys — Habits  of 
Elephants  -Elephants  in  the  Lake  —Herd  of  Elephants  Bathing 
— Elephant  Shooting — The  Rencontre — The  Charge — Caught 
by  the  Tail— Horse  Gored  by  a  Buffalo— Sagacity  of  Dogs — 
— '  Bluebeard  '—His  Hunt  —A  True  Hound     ....  220 


CHAPTER   X. 

Wild  Fruits — Ingredients  for  a  Soupe  viaigre — Oiclu.laceous 
Plants — Wild  Nutmegs— Native  Oils— Cinnamon — Pnmeval 
Forests — Valuable  Woods— The  Mahawelli  River — Variety  of 
Palms  -  Cocoa-nut  Toddy — Arrack-  Cocoa-nut  Oil— Cocoa-nut 
Planting— The  Talipot  Palm — The  Areca  Palm— Betel  Chewing 
— Sago  Nuts — Variety  of  Bees — Waste  of  Bees- wax— Edible 
Fun<;i  —  Narcotic  Puff  Ball — Intoxicating  Drugs— Poisoned 
Cakes  —The  *  Sack  Tiee  '' — No  Gum  Trees  of  Value  in  Ceylon     250 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Indigenous  Productions —Botanical  Gardens — Suggested  Experi- 
ments— Lack  of  Encouragement  to  Gold-diggers — The  Prospects 
of  Gold-digging— We  want  *  Nuggets  ' — Who  is  to  Blame  ? — 
Governor's  Salary — Fallacies  of  a  Five  Years'  Reign — Neg- 
lected Education  of  the  People— Responsibilities  of  Conquest  — 
Progress  of  Christianity 294 


f. 


B 


ifvi  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

PAr.E 
The  Pearl  Fishery — Desolation  of  the  Coast — Harbour  of  Trin- 
comalie— Fatal  Attack  by  a  Shark — Ferocious  Crocodiles — Salt 
Monopoly — Salt  Lakes — Method  of  Collection — Neglect  of 
Ceylon  Hides — Fish  and  Fishing — Primitive  Tackle — Oyster 
and  Penknives — A  Night  Bivouac  for  a  Novice — No  Dinner,  but 
a  good  Fire — Wild  Yams  and  Consequences — The  Elephants' 
Duel — A  Hunting  Hermitage—  *  Bluebeard's  '  Last  Hunt — The 
Leopard — '  Bluebeard's '  Death — Leopard  Shot         .  .  32,^ 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

Wild  Denizens  of  Forest  and  Lake — Destroyers  of  Reptiles  —The 
Tree  Duck— The  Mysteries  of  Night  in  the  Forest— The  Devil- 
Bird— The  Iguanodon  in  Miniature — Outrigger  Canoes — The  last 
Glimpse  of  Ceylon — A  Glance  at  Old  Times    ....  360 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

A  LEOPARD   KILLED   BY   A  COW          ....  frontispiece 
CURIOUS   SHOT  AT   A   BULL   ELEPHANT      .            .           .     tO focc page  I3I 

WILD   BOAR   HUNT „             I43 

THE   elk's   leap       .......  ,,             169 

ATTACK  ON   THE   HERD ,,             238 

NIGHT  SCENE „            366 


EIGHT   YEARS    IN    CEYLON. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Colombo — Dulness  of  the  Town— Cinnamon  Gardens — A  Cingalese 
Appo— Ceylon  Sport — Jungle  Fever — Newera  Ellia — Energy  of  Sir 
E.  Barnes — Influence  of  the  Governor — Projected  Improvements. 

It  was  in  the  year  1845  that  the  spirit  of  wandering 
allured  me  towards  Ceylon  ; — little  did  I  imagine  at 
that  time  that  I  should  eventually  become  a  settler. 

The  descriptions  of  its  sports,  and  the  tales  of  hair- 
breadth escapes  from  elephants,  which  I  had  read  in 
various  publications,  were  sources  of  attraction  against 
which  I  strove  in  vain  ;  and  I  at  length  determined 
upon  the  very  wild  idea  of  spending  twelve  months 
in  Ceylon  jungles. 

It  is  said  that  the  delights  of  pleasures  in  anticipa- 
tion exceed  the  pleasures  themselves :  in  this  case 
doubtless  some  months  of  great  enjoyment  passed  in 
making  plans  of  every  description,  until  I  at  length 
arrived  in  Colombo,  Ceylon's  seaport  capital. 


2  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  i. 

I  never  experienced  greater  disappointment  in  an 
expectation  than  on  my  first  view  of  Colombo.  I  had 
spent  some  time  at  Mauritius  and  Bourbon  previous 
to  my  arrival,  and  I  soon  perceived  that  the  far-famed 
Ceylon  was  nearly  a  century  behind  either  of  those 
small  islands. 

Instead  of  the  bustling  activity  of  the  Port  Louis 
harbour  in  Mauritius,  there  were  a  few  vessels  rolling 
about  in  the  roadstead,  and  some  forty  or  fifty  fishing 
canoes  hauled  np  on  the  sandy  beach.  There  was 
a  peculiar  dulness  throughout  the  town, — a  sort  of 
something  which  seemed  to  say,  *  coffee  does  not 
pay.'  There  was  a  want  of  spirit  in  ever>'thing.  The 
ill-conditioned  guns  upon  the  fort  looked  as  though 
not  intended  to  defend  it  ;  the  sentinels  looked  par- 
boiled ;  the  very  natives  sauntered  rather  than 
walked  ;  the  bullocks  crawled  along  in  the  mid-day 
sun,  listlessly  dragging  the  native  carts.  Every- 
thing and  everybody  seemed  enervated,  except 
those  frightfully  active  people  in  all  countries  and 
climates,  '  the  custom-house  officers  : '  these  neces- 
sary plagues  to  society  gave  their  usual  amount  of 
annoyance. 

What  struck  mc  the  most  forcibly  in  Colombo  was 
the  want  of  shops.  In  Port  Louis  the  wide  and  well- 
paved  streets  were  lined  with  excellent  *  Magazins  * 
of  every  description  ;  here,  on  the  contrary,  it  was 
difficult  to  find  anything  in  the  shape  of  a  shop  until 


CHAP.  1.  CINNAMON  GARDENS  3 

I  was  introduced  to  a  joi-disant  store,  where  every- 
thing that  was  to  be  purchased,  from  a  needle  to  a 
crowbar,  and  from  satin  to  sail-cloth  ;  the  useful  pre- 
dominating over  the  ornamental  in  all  cases.  It  was 
all  on  a  poor  scale  ;  and  after  several  inquiries 
respecting  the  best  hotel,  I  located  myself  at  that 
termed  the  Royal  or  Seager's  Hotel.  This  was  airy, 
white,  and  clean  throughout ;  but  there  was  a  barn- 
like appearance,  as  there  is  throughout  most  private 
dwellings  in  Colombo,  which  banished  all  idea  of 
comfort. 

A  good  tiffin  concluded,  which  produced  a  happier 
state  of  mind,  I  ordered  a  carriage  for  a  drive  to  the 
Cinnamon  Gardens.  The  general  style  of  Ceylon 
carriages  appeared  in  the  shape  of  a  caricature  of 
a  hearse  ; — this  goes  by  the  name  of  a  palanquin 
carriage.  Those  usually  hired  are  drawn  by  a  single 
horse,  whose  natural  vicious  propensities  are  restrained 
by  a  low  system  of  diet. 

In  this  vehicle,  whose  gaunt  steed  was  led  at  a 
melancholy  trot  by  an  equally  small-fed  horsekeeper, 
I  traversed  the  environs  of  Colombo.  Through  the 
winding  fort  gateway,  across  the  flat  Galle  Face  (the 
race-course),  freshened  by  the  sea-breeze  as  the  waves 
break  upon  its  western  side ;  through  the  Colpetty, — 
topes  of  cocoa-nut  trees  shading  the  road,  and  the 
houses  of  the  better  class  of  European  residents  to 


4  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chak  i. 

the  right  and  left  ;  then  turning  to  the  left, — a  few 
minutes  of  expectation, — and  behold  the  Cinnamon 
Gardens  ! 

What  fairy-like  pleasure-grounds  have  we  fondly 
anticipated  ! — what  perfumes  of  spices,  and  all  that 
our  childish  imaginations  had  pictured  as  the  orna- 
mental portions  of  a  cinnamon  garden  ! 

A  vast  area  of  scrubby  low  jungle,  composed  of 
cinnamon  bushes,  is  seen  to  the  right  and  left,  before 
and  behind.  Above,  is  a  cloudless  sky  and  a  broiling 
sun  ;  below,  is  snow-white  sand  of  quartz,  curious  only 
in  the  possibility  of  its  supporting  vegetation.  Such 
is  the  soil  in  which  the  cinnamon  delights  ; — such  are 
the  Cinnamon  Gardens,  in  which  I  delight  not.  They 
are  an  imposition,  and  they  only  serve  as  an  addition 
to  the  disappointments  of  a  visitor  to  Colombo.  In 
fact,  the  whole  place  is  a  series  of  disappointments. 
You  see  a  native  woman  clad  in  snow-white  petti- 
coats, a  beautiful  tortoiseshell  comb  fastened  in  her 
raven  hair  ;  you  pass  her — you  look  back — wonderful ! 
— she  has  a  beard  !  Deluded  stranger,  this  is  only 
another  disappointment ;  it  is  a  Cingalese  Appo — a 
man — no,  not  a  man,— a  something  male  in  pet- 
ticoats ;  a  petty  thief,  a  treacherous,  cowardly 
villain,  who  would  perpetrate  the  greatest  rascality 
had  he  only  the  pluck  to  dare  it.  In  fact,  in  this 
petticoated  wretch  you  see  a  type  of  the  nation  of 
Cingalese. 


ciiAi'.  I.  CEYLON  SPORT.  5 

On  the  morning  following  my  arrival  in  Ceylon,  I 
was  delighted  to  see  several  persons  seated  at  the 

•  table-d'hote '  when  I  entered  the  room,  as  I  was 
most  anxious  to  gain  some  positive  information 
respecting  the  game  of  the  island,  the  best  localities, 
&c.  &c.  I  was  soon  engaged  in  conversation,  and 
one  of  my  first  questions  naturally  turned  upon  sport. 

*  Sport  r  exclaimed  two  gentlemen  simultaneously, 
*  sport !  there  is  no  sport  to  be  had  in  Ceylon  ! ' — 
'  at  least,  the  race  week  is  the  only  sport  that  I  know 
of,'  said  the  taller  gentleman. 

'No  sport!'  said  I,  half  energetically  and  half 
despairingly.  *  Absurd  !  —  every  book  on  Ceylon 
mentions  the  amount  of  game  as  immense ;  and  as  to 
elephants ! ' 

Here  I  was  interrupted  by  the  same  gentleman  : 

•  All  gross  exaggerations  ;  *  said  he,  *  gross  exaggera- 
tions ;  in  fact,  inventions  to  give  interest  to  a  book. 
I  have  an  estate  in  the  interior,  and  I  have  never 
seen  a  wild  elephant.  There  may  be  a  few  in  the 
jungles  of  Ceylon,  but  very  few,  and  you  never  see 
them.' 

1  began  to  discover  the  stamp  of  my  companion 
from  his  expression  *  you  never  see  them.'  Of  course 
I  concluded  that  he  had  never  looked  for  them ;  and 
I  began  to  recover  from  the  first  shock  which  his 
exclamation  *  there  is  no  sport  in  Ceylon ! '  had 
given  me. 


b  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap   i. 

I  subsequently  discovered  that  my  new  and  non- 
sporting  acquaintances  were  cofifee  planters  of  a  class 
then  known  as  the  Galle  Face  planters,  who  passed 
their  time  in  cantering  about  the  Colombo  race-course 
and  idling  in  the  town,  while  their  estates  lay  a  hun- 
dred miles  distant,  uncared  for,  and  naturally  ruining 
their  proprietors. 

That  same  afternoon,  to  my  delight  and  surprise, 
I  met  an  old  Gloucestershire  friend  in  an  officer  of 
the  15th  Regiment,  then  stationed  in  Ceylon.  From 
him  I  soon  learnt  that  the  character  of  Ceylon  for 
game  had  never  been  exaggerated,  and  from  that 
moment  my  preparations  for  the  jungle  com 
menced. 

I  rented  a  good  airy  house  in  Colombo  as  head- 
quarters, and  the  verandahs  were  soon  strewed  with 
jungle-baskets,  boxes,  tent,  g^n  cases,  and  all  the 
paraphernalia  for  a  shooting  trip. 

♦  ♦•*♦♦ 

What  unforeseen  and  apparently  trivial  incidents 
may  upset  all  our  plans  for  the  future,  and  turn  our 
whole  course  of  life  ! 

At  the  expiration  of  twelve  months  my  shooting 
trips  and  adventures  were  succeeded  by  so  severe  an 
attack  of  jungle  fever,  that  from  a  naturally  robust 
frame  I  dwindled  to  a  mere  nothing,  and  very  little 
of  my  former  self  remained.  The  first  symptom  of 
convalescence    was    accompanied   by  a   peremptory 


CHAP.  1.  NEWER  A  ELLIA.  7 

order  from  my  medical  attendant  to  start  Ibr  the 
highlands,  to  the  mountainous  region  of  Newera 
Ellia,  the  sanatorium  of  the  island. 

A  poor,  miserable  wretch  I  was  upon  my  arrival 
at  this  elevated  station,  suffering  not  only  from  the 
fever  itself,  but  from  the  feeling  of  an  exquisite  de- 
bility that  creates  an  utter  hopelessness  of  the  renewal 
of  strength. 

1  was  only  a  fortnight  at  Newera  Ellia.  The 
Rest-house  or  inn  was  the  perfection  of  everything 
that  was  dirty  and  uncomfortable.  The  toughest 
possible  specimen  of  a  beefsteak,  black  bread,  and 
potatoes  were  the  choicest  and  only  viands  obtain- 
able for  an  invalid.  There  was  literally  nothing  else  ; 
it  was  a  land  of  starvation.  But  the  climate !  what 
can  I  say  to  describe  the  wonderful  effects  of  such  a 
pure  and  unpolluted  air  t  Simply,  that  at  the  expira- 
tion of  a  fortnight,  in  spite  of  the  tough  beef  and 
the  black  bread  and  potatoes,  I  was  as  well  and  as 
strong  as  I  ever  had  been  ;  and  in  proof  of  this,  I 
started  instanter  for  another  shooting  excursion  in 
the  interior. 

It  was  impossible  to  have  visited  Newera  Ellia, 
and  to  have  benefited  in  such  a  wonderful  manner 
by  the  climate,  without  contemplating  with  astonish- 
ment its  poverty-stricken  and  neglected  state. 

At  that  time  it  was  the  most  miserable  place 
conceivable.     There  was  a  total  absence,  of  all  ide.is 


8  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  i. 

of  comfort  or  arrangement.  The  houses  were  for  the 
most  part  built  of  such  unsubstantial  materials  as 
stick  and  mud  plastered  over  with  mortar;  pretty 
enough  in  exterior,  but  rotten  in  ten  or  twelve  years. 
The  only  really  good  residence  was  a  fine  stone 
building  erected  by  Sir  Edward  Barnes  when 
governor  of  Ceylon.  To  him  alone  indeed  are  we 
indebted  for  the  existence  of  a  sanatorium.  It  was  he 
who  opened  the  road,  not  only  to  Newera  EUia,  but 
for  thirty-six  miles  further  on  the  same  line  to 
Badulla.  At  his  own  expense  he  built  a  substantial 
mansion,  at  a  cost,  as  it  is  said,  of  8,000/.,  and,  with 
provident  care  for  the  health  of  the  European  troops, 
he  erected  barracks  and  officers'  quarters  for  the 
invalids. 

Under  his  government  Newera  EUia  was  rapidly 
becoming  a  place  of  importance,  but^  unfortunately, 
at  the  expiration  of  his  term  the  place  became  neg 
lected.  His  successor  took  no  interest  in  the  plans 
of  his  predecessor ;  and  from  that  period,  each  succes- 
sive governor,  being  influenced  by  an  increasing 
spirit  of  parsimony,  Newera  Ellia  has  remained  *  in 
statu  quo,'  not  even  having  been  visited  by  th^ 
present  governor. 

In  a  small  colony  like  Ceylon,  it  is  astonishing 
how  the  movements  and  opinions  of  the  governoi 
influence  the  public  mind.  In  this  instance,  how- 
ever, the  movements  of  the  governor  (Sir  G.  Ander- 


CHAP.  I.  INFLUENCE  OI'    THE  GOVERNOR.  g 

son)  cannot  carry  much  weight,  as  he  does  not 
move  at  all,  with  the  exception  of  an  occasional  drive 
from  Colombo  to  Kandy.  His  knowledge  of  the 
colony  and  of  its  wants  or  resources  must  therefore, 
from  his  personal  experience,  be  limited  to  the  Kandy 
road.  This  apathy,  when  exhibited  by  her  Majesty's 
representative,  is  highly  contagious  among  the  public 
of  all  classes  and  colours,  and  cannot  have  other  than 
a  bad  moral  tendency. 

Upon  my  first  visit  to  Ncwcra  Ellia  in  1847  Lord 
Torrington  was  the  governor  of  Ceylon,  a  man  of 
active  mind,  with  an  ardent  desire  to  test  its  real 
capabilities,  and  to  work  great  improvements  in  the 
colony.  Unfortunately,  his  term  as  governor  was 
shorter  than  was  expected.  The  elements  of  discord 
were  at  that  time  at  work  among  all  classes  in 
Ceylon,  and  Lord  Torrington  was  recalled. 

From  the  causes  of  neglect  described,  Newera 
Ellia  was  in  the  deserted  and  wretched  state  in  which 
I  saw  it ;  but  so  infatuated  was  I  in  the  belief  that  its 
importance  must  be  appreciated  when  the  knowledge 
of  its  climate  should  be  more  widely  extended,  that  I 
looked  forward  to  its  becoming  at  some  future  time  a 
rival  to  the  Neilgherries  station  in  India.  My  ideas 
were  based  upon  the  natural  features  of  the  place 
combined  with  its  requirements. 

It  apparently  produced  nothing  except  potatoes. 
The  soil  was  supposed  to  be  as  good  as  it  appeared 


lo  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  i 

to  be.  The  quality  of  the  water  and  the  supply  were 
unquestionable  ;  the  climate  could  not  be  surpassed 
for  salubrity.  There  was  a  carriage  road  from 
Colombo  1 1 5  miles,  and .  from  Kandy  forty-seven 
miles,  the  last  thirteen  being  the  Rambodd^  Pass, 
arriving  at  an  elevation  of  6,600  feet,  from  which 
point  a  descent  of  two  miles  terminated  the  road 
to  Newera  EUia. 

The  station  then  consisted  of  about  twenty  pri- 
vate residences,  the  barracks  and  officers'  quarters, 
the  Rest-house  and  the  Bazaar,  the  latter  containing 
about  200  native  inhabitants. 

Bounded  upon  all  sides  but  the  east  by  high 
mountains,  the  plain  of  Newera  Ellia  lay  like  a  level 
valley  of  about  two  miles  in  length  by  half  a  mile  in 
width,  bordered  by  undulating  grassy  knolls  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountains.  Upon  these  spots  of  elevated 
ground  most  of  the  dwellings  were  situated,  com- 
manding a  view  of  the  plain,  with  the  river  winding 
through  its  centre.  The  mountains  were  clothed  from 
the  base  to  the  summit  with  dense  forests,  containing 
excellent  timber  for  building  purposes.  Good  build- 
ing-stone was  procurable  everywhere ;  limestone  at  a 
distance  of  five  miles. 

The  whole  of  the  adjacent  country  was  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  Newera  Ellia  plain  with  slight  variations, 
comprising  a  vast  extent  of  alternate  swampy  plains 
u.!ul  dense  forests. 


CHAP.  1.  PROJECTED  IMPROVEMENTS,  ii 

Why  should  this  place  lie  idle  ?  Why  should  this 
great  tract  of  country  in  such  a  lovely  climate  be 
untenanted  and  uncultivated  ?  How  often  I  have 
stood  upon  the  hills  and  asked  myself  this  question 
when  gazing  over  the  wide  extent  of  undulating 
forest  and  plain  !  How  often  I  have  thought  of  the 
thousands  of  starving  wretches  at  home  who  here 
might  earn  a  comfortable  livelihood !  and  I  have 
scanned  the  vast  tract  of  country,  and  in  my  imagina- 
tion I  have  cleared  the  dark  forests,  and  substituted 
waving  crops  of  corn,  and  peopled  a  hundred  ideal 
cottages  with  a  thriving  peasantry. 

Why  should  not  the  highlands  of  Ceylon,  with  an 
Italian  climate,  be  rescued  from  their  state  of  barren- 
ness ?  Why  should  not  the  plains  be  drained,  the 
forests  felled,  and  cultivation  take  the  place  of  the 
rank  pasturage,  and  supplies  be  produced  to  make 
Ceylon  independent  of  other  countries  ?  Why  should 
not  schools  be  established,  a  comfortable  hotel  be 
erected,  a  church  be  built  ?  In  fact,  why  should 
Newera  EUia,  with  its  wonderful  climate,  so  easily 
attainable,  be  neglected  in  a  country  like  Ceylon, 
proverbial  for  its  unhealthiness  ? 

These  were  my  ideas  when  I  first  visited  Newera 
Ellia,  before  I  had  much  experience  in  either  people 
or  things  connected  with  the  island. 

My  twelve  months'  tour  in  Ceylon  being  com- 
pleted, I  returned  to  England  delighted  with  what  T 


13  EIGHT   YEAKS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  i. 

had  seen  of  Ceylon  in  general  ;  but,  above  all,  with 
my  short  visit  to  Newera  Ellia,  malgr^  its  barren- 
ness and  want  of  comfort,  caused  rather  by  the 
neglect  of  man,  than  ^'^y  the  lack  of  resources  in 
the  locality. 


13 


CHAPTER   II. 

Past  Scenes  —  Attractions  of  Ceylon  —  Emigration  —  Difficulties  in 
Settling— Accidents  and  Casualties — An  Eccentric  Groom — Insub- 
ordination— Commencement  of  Cultivation — Sagacity  of  the  Ele- 
phant —  Disappointments—  *  Death  '  in  the  Settlement  —  Shocking 
Pasturage — Success  of  Emigrants — '  A  Good  Knock-about  Kind  of 
a  Wife.' 

I  HAD  not  been  long  in  England  before  I  discovered 
that  my  trip  to  Ceylon  had  only  served  to  upset  all 
ideas  of  settling  down  quietly  at  home.  Scenes  of 
former  sports  and  places  were  continually  intruding 
themselves  upon  my  thoughts,  and  I  longed  to  be 
once  more  roaming  at  large  with  the  rifle  through  the 
noiseless  wildernesses  in  Ceylon.  So  delightful  were 
the  recollections  of  past  incidents,  that  I  could  scarcely 
believe  that  it  lay  within  my  power  to  renew  them. 
Ruminating  over  all  that  had  happened  within  the 
past  year,  I  conjured  up  localities  to  my  memory 
which  seemed  too  attractive  to  have  existed  in  reah'ty. 
I  wandered  along  London  streets,  comparing  the 
noise  and  bustle  with  the  deep  sohtudes  of  Ceylon, 
and  I  felt  like  the  sickly  plants  in  a  London  parterre. 
I  wanted  the  change  to  my  former  life.     I  constantly 


14  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  ik 

found  myself  gazing  into  gunmakers'  shops,  and  these 
I  sometimes  entered  abstractedly  to  examine  some 
rifle  exposed  in  the  window.  Often  have  I  passed  an 
hour  in  boring  the  unfortunate  gunmakers  to  death 
by  my  suggestions  for  various  improvements  in  rifles 
and  guns,  which,  as  I  was  not  a  purchaser,  must  have 
been  extremely  edifying. 

Time  passed ;  and  the  moment  at  length  arrived 
when  I  decided  once  more  to  see  Ceylon.  I  deter- 
mined to  become  a  settler  at  Newera  Ellia,  where 
I  could  reside  in  a  perfect  climate,  and  never- 
theless enjoy  the  sports  of  the  low  country  at  my 
own  will. 

Thus,  the  recovery  from  a  fever  in  Ceylon  was 
the  hidden  cause  of  my  settlement  at  Newera  Ellia. 
The  infatuation  for  sport,  added  to  a  gipsy-like 
love  of  wandering  and  complete  independence,  thus 
dragged  me  away  from  home  and  from  a  much-loved 
circle. 

In  my  determination  to  reside  at  Newera  Ellia,  I 
hoped  to  be  able  to  carry  out  some  of  those  visionary 
plans  for  its  improvement  which  I  have  before  sug- 
gested ;  and  I  trusted  to  be  enabled  to  effect  such  a 
change  in  the  rough  face  of  Nature  in  that  locality  as 
to  render  a  residence  at  Newera  Ellia  something 
approaching  to  a  country  life  in  England,  with  the 
advantage  of  the  whole  of  Ceylon  for  my  manor,  and 
no  expense  of  gamekeepers. 


CHAP.  II.  EMIGRATION:  15 

To  carry  out  these  ideas,  it  was  neccssaiy  to  set 
to  work ;  and  I  determined  to  make  a  regular  settle- 
ment at  Newera  Ellia,  sanguinely  looking  forward  to 
establishing  a  little  English  village  around  my  own 
residence. 

Accordingly  I  purchased  an  extensive  tract  of 
land  from  the  Government  at  twenty  shillings  per 
acre.  I  engaged  an  excellent  bailiff,  who  with  his 
wife  and  daughter,  with  nine  other  emigrants,  in- 
cluding a  blacksmith,  were  to  sail  for  my  intended 
settlement  in  Ceylon. 

I  purchased  farming  implements  of  the  vao'A  im- 
proved descriptions,  seeds  of  all  kinds,  saw-mills, 
&c.  &c.,  and  the  following  stock : — A  half-bred  bull 
(Durham  and  Hereford),  a  well-bred  Durham  cow, 
three  rams  (a  Southdown,  Leicester,  and  Cotswold), 
and  a  thorough-bred  entire  horse  by  Charles  XII. ; 
also  a  small  pack  of  foxhounds,  and  a  favourite  grey- 
hound (*  Bran  ). 

My  brother  had  determined  to  accompany  me; 
and  with  emigrants,  stock,  machinery,  hounds,  and 
our  respective  families,  the  good  ship  *  Earl  of  Hard- 
wicke,'  belonging  to  Messrs.  Green  and  Co.,  sailed  from 
London  in  September,  1848.  I  had  previously  left 
England  by  the  overland  mail  of  August  to  make 
arrangements  at  Newera  Ellia  for  the  reception  of  the 
whole  party. 

I  had  as  much  difficulty  in  making  up  my  mind 
C 


|6  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chav.  ii 

to  the  proper  spot  for  the  settlement,  as  Noah's  dove 
experienced  in  its  flight  from  the  Ark.  However,  I 
wandered  over  the  neighbouring  plains  and  jungles  of 
Newera  KUia,  and  at  length  I  stuck  my  walking-stick 
into  the  ground  where  the  gentle  undulations  of  the 
country  would  allow  the  use  of  the  plough.  Here, 
then,  was  to  be  the  settlement. 

I  had  chosen  the  spot  at  the  eastern  extremity  of 
the  Newera  Ellia  plain,  on  the  verge  of  the  sudden 
descent  towards  Badulla.  This  position  was  two 
miles  and  a  half  from  Newera  Ellia,  and  was  far  more 
agreeable  and  better  adapted  for  a  settlement,  the 
land  being  comparatively  level,  and  not  shut  in  by 
mountains. 

It  was  in  the  dreary  month  of  October,  when  the 
south-west  monsoon  howls  in  all  its  fury  across  the 
mountains ;  the  mist  boiled  up  from  the  valleys  and 
swept  along  the  surface  of  the  plains,  obscuring  the 
view  of  everything,  except  the  pattering  rain  which 
descended  without  ceasing  day  or  night.  Every 
sound  was  hushed,  save  that  of  the  elements  and  the 
distant  murmuring  roar  of  countless  waterfalls  ;  not  a 
bird  chirped,  the  dank  white  lichens  hung  from  the 
branches  of  the  trees,  and  the  wretchedness  of  the 
place  was  beyond  description. 

I  found  it  almost  impossible  to  persuade  the 
natives  to  work  in  such  weather  ;  and  it  being  abso- 
lutely necessary  that  cottages  should  be  built  with  the 


CHAP.  II.  DIFFICULTIES  OF  SETTLING.  17 

greatest  expedition,  I  was  obliged  to  offer  an  exorbi- 
tant  rate  of  wages. 

In  about  a  fortnight,  however,  the  wind  and  rain 
showed  flags  of  truce,  in  the  shape  of  white  clouds  set 
in  a  blue  sky.  The  gale  ceased,  and  the  skylarks 
warbled  high  in  air,  giving  life  and  encouragement  to 
the  whole  scene.  It  was  like  a  beautiful  cool  mid- 
summer in  England. 

I  had  about  eighty  men  at  work  ;  and  the  constant 
click-clack  of  axes,  the  falling  of  trees,  the  noise  of 
saws  and  hammers,  and  the  perpetual  chattering  of 
coolies,  gave  a  new  character  to  the  wild  spot  upon 
which  I  had  fixed. 

The  work  proceeded  rapidly  ;  neat  white  cottages 
soon  appeared  in  the  forest ;  and  I  expected  to  have 
everything  in  readiness  for  the  emigrants  on  their 
arrival.  I  rented  a  tolerably  good  house  in  Newera 
Ellia,  and  so  far  everything  had  progressed  well. 

The  *  Earl  of  Hardwicke '  arrived  after  a  pros- 
perous voyage,  with  passengers  and  stock  all  in 
sound  health  ;  the  only  casualty  on  board  had  been 
one  of  the  hounds.  In  a  few  days  all  started  from 
Colombo  for  Newera  Ellia.  The  only  trouble  was, 
how  to  get  the  cow  up }  She  was  a  beautiful 
beast,  a  thorough-bred  *  short  horn,'  and  she  weighed 
about  1 3  cwt.  She  was  so  fat  that  a  march  of  1 1 5 
miles  in  a  tropical  climate  was  impossible.  Accord- 
ingly a  van  was  arranged   for  her,  which   the  maker 

c  2 


1 8  EIGHT   YEARS  IN   CEYLON.  chap  ii. 

assured  me  would  carry  an  elephant.  But  no  sooner 
had  the  cow  entered  it  than  the  whole  thing  came 
down  with  a  crash,  and  the  cow  made  her  exit 
through  the  bottom.  She  was  therefore  obliged 
to  start  on  foot  in  company  with  the  bull,  sheep, 
horse,  and  hounds,  orders  being  given  that  ten  miles 
a  day,  divided  between  morning  and  evening,  was 
to  be  the  maximum  march  during  the  journey. 

The  emigrants  started  per  coach,  while  our 
party  drove  up  in  a  new  clarence  which  1  had 
brought  from  England.  I  mention  this,  as  its  un- 
timely end  will  be  shortlj'  seen. 

Four  government  elephant  carts  started  with 
machinery,  farming  implements,  &c.  &c.,  while  a 
troop  of  bullock  bandies  carried  the  lighter  goods. 
I  had  a  tame  elephant  waiting  at  the  foot  of  the 
Newera  EUia  Pass  to  assist  in  carrying  up  the 
baggage  and  maid-servants. 

There  had  been  a  vast  amount  of  trouble  in 
making  all  the  necessary  arrangements;  but  the 
start  was  completed,  and  at  length  we  were  all 
fairly  off. 

In  an  enterprise  of  this  kind  many  disappoint- 
ments were  necessarily  to  be  expected,  and  I  had 
prepared  myself  with  the  patience  of  Job  for  any- 
thing that  might  happen.  It  was  well  that  T  had 
done  so,  for  it  was  soon  put  to  the  test. 

Having  reached   Rambodde,  at   the   foot   of  the 


CHAP    n.  ACCIDENTS   AND   CASUALTIES.  19 

Newera  EUia  Pass,  in  safety,  I  found  that  the 
carriage  was  so  heavy  that  the  horses  were  totally 
unable  to  ascend  the  Pass.  I  therefore  left  it  at  the 
Rest-house  while  we  rode  up  the  fifteen  miles  to 
Newera  EUia,  intending  to  send  for  the  empty  vehicle 
in  a  few  days. 

The  whole  party  of  emigrants  and  ourselves 
reached  Newera  Ellia  in  safety.  On  the  following 
day  I  sent  down  the  groom  with  a  pair  of  horses 
to  bring  up  the  carriage  ;  at  the  same  time  I  sent 
the  elephant  to  bring  some  luggage  from  Ram- 
bodd6. 

Now  this  groom,  '  Henry  Perkes/  was  one  of 
the  emigrants,  and  he  was  not  exactly  the  steadiest 
of  the  party ; — I  therefore  cautioned  him  to  be 
very  careful  in  driving  up  the  Pass,  especially  in 
crossing  the  narrow  bridges  and  turning  the  corners. 
He  started  on  his  mission. 

The  next  day  a  dirty-looking  letter  was  put  in 
my  hand  by  a  native,  which,  being  addressed  to  me, 
ran  something  in  this  style  : — 

Honor''  Zur 

I'm  sorry  to  hinform  you  that  the  carrige  and  osses 
has  met  with  a  haccidinf  and  is  tumbled  down  a  preccippice  and  its  a 
mussy  as  I  didn't  go  too.  The  preccippice  isn't  very  deep  being  not 
above  heighty  feet  or  therabouts — the  bosses  is  got  up  but  is  very  bad 

— the  carrige  lies  on  its  back  and  we  can't  stir  it  nohow.     M'. 

is  very  kind,  and  has  lent  above  a  hunderd  niggers,  but  they  aint  no 
more  use  than  cats  at  liftin  Plese  Zur  come  and  see  whats  to  be 
dore.  Your  11  umbel  Serv*, 

n.  Perkes. 


20  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ii. 

This  was  pleasant  certainly;  a  new  carriage  and 
a  pair  of  fine  Australian  horses  smashed  before  they 
reached  Newera  Ellia ! 

This  was,  however,  the  commencement  of  a 
chapter  of  accidents.  I  went  down  the  Pass,  and 
there  sure  enough  I  had  a  fine  bird's-eye  view  of 
the  carriage  down  a  precipice  on  the  road  side. 
One  horse  was  so  injured  that  it  was  necessary 
to  destroy  him  ;  the  other  died  a  few  days  after. 
Perkes  had  been  intoxicated  ;  and,  while  driving  at 
full  gallop  round  a  corner,  over  went  the  carriage  and 
horses. 

On  my  return  to  Newera  Ellia  I  found  a  letter 
informing  me  that  the  short- horn  cow  had  halted 
at  Amberpuss6,  thirty-seven  miles  from  Colombo, 
dangerously  ill.  The  next  morning  another  letter 
informed  me  that  she  was  dead.  This  was  a  sad 
loss  after  the  trouble  of  bringing  so  fine  an  animal 
from  England  ;  and  I  regretted  her  far  more  than 
both  carriage  and  horses  together,  as  my  ideas  for 
breeding  some  thorough- bred  stock  were  for  the 
present  extinguished. 

There  is  nothing  like  one  misfortune  for  breeding 
another  ;  and  what  with  the  loss  of  carriage,  horses, 
and  cow,  the  string  of  accidents  had  fairly  com- 
menced. The  carriage  still  lay  inverted ;  and 
although  a  tolerable  specimen  of  a  smash,  I  deter- 
mined to  pay  a  certain  honour  to  its  remains,  by  not 


CHAP.  II.  AN  ECCENTRIC  GROOM.  21 

allowing  it  to  lie  and  rot  upon  the  ground.  Ac- 
cordingly I  sent  the  blacksmith  with  a  gang  of  men, 
and  Perkes  was  ordered  to  accompany  the  party. 
I  also  sent  the  elephant  to  assist  in  hauUng  the  body 
of  the  carriage  up  the  precipice. 

Perkes,  having  been  much  more  accustomed  to 
riding  than  walking  during  his  career  as  groom,  was 
determined  to  ride  the  elephant  down  the  Pass ;  and 
he  accordingly  mounted,  insisting  at  the  same  time 
that  the  Mohout  should  put  the  animal  into  a  trot. 
In  vain  the  man  remonstrated,  and  explained  that 
such  a  pace  would  injure  the  elephant  on  a  journey : 
threats  prevailed,  and  the  beast  was  soon  swinging 
along  at  full  trot,  forced  on  by  the  sharp  driving- 
hook,  with  the  delighted  Perkes  striding  across  its 
neck,  riding  an  imaginary  race. 

On  the  following  day  the  elephant-driver  ap- 
peared at  the  front  door,  but  without  the  elephant.  I 
immediately  foreboded  some  disaster,  which  was  soon 
explained.  Mr.  Perkes  had  kept  up  the  pace  for 
fifteen  miles  to  Rambodde,  when,  finding  that  the 
elephant  was  not  required,  he  took  a  little  refresh- 
ment in  the  shape  of  brandy  and  water,  and  then, 
to  use  his  own  expression,  'tooled  the  old  elephant 
along  till  he  came  to  a  stand-still.' 

He  literally  forced  the  poor  beast  up  the  steep 
Pass  for  seven  miles,  till  it  fell  down  and  shortly  after 
died. 


22  RIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chai-.  ii. 

Mr.  Perkes  was  becoming  an  expensive  man:  a 
most  sagacious  and  tractable  elephant  was  now  added 
to  his  list  of  victims ;  and  he  had  the  satisfaction  of 
knowing  that  he  was  one  of  the  few  men  in  the  world 
who  had  ridden  an  elephant  to  death. 

That  afternoon  Mr.  Perkes  was  being  wheeled 
about  the  bazaar  in  a  wheelbarrow,  insensibly  dnmk, 
by  a  brother  emigrant  who  was  also  considerably 
elevated.  Perkes  had  at  some  former  time  lost  an 
eye  by  the  kick  of  a  horse,  and  to  conceal  the  dis- 
figurement he  wore  a  black  patch,  which  gave  him 
very  much  the  expression  of  a  bull  terrier  with  a 
similar  mark.  Notwithstanding  this  disadvantage  in 
appearance,  he  was  perpetually  making  successful 
love  to  the  maid-servants,  and  he  was  altogether 
the  most  incorrigible  scamp  that  I  ever  met  with, 
although  I  must  do  him  the  justice  to  say  he  was 
thoroughly  honest  and  industrious. 

I  shortly  experienced  great  trouble  with  the  emi- 
grants ;  they  could  not  agree  with  the  bailiff,  and 
openly  defied  his  authorit}'.  I  was  obliged  to  send 
two  of  them  to  gaol  as  an  example  to  the  others. 
This  produced  the  desired  effect,  and  we  shortly  got 
regularly  to  work. 

There  were  now  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  natives 
employed  in  the  tedious  process  of  exterminating 
jungle  and  forest,  not  felling,  but  regularly  digging 
out  every  tree  and  root,  then  piling  and  burning  the 


CHAP.  11.      COMMENCEMENT  OF  CULTIVATION.  23 

mass,  and  levelling  the  cleared  land  in  a  state  to 
receive  the  plough.  This  was  very  expensive  work, 
amounting  to  about  30/.  per  acre.  The  root  of  a 
large  tree  would  frequently  occupy  three  men  a 
couple  of  days  in  its  extraction,  which  at  the  rate  of 
wages,  at  one  shilling  per' diem,  was  very  costly. 
The  land  thus  cleared  was  a  light  sandy  loam,  about 
eighteen  inches  in  depth,  with  a  gravel  subsoil,  and 
was  considered  to  be  far  superior  to  the  patina  (or 
natural  grass  land),  which  was  in  appearance  black 
loam  on  the  higher  ground,  and  of  a  peaty  nature  in 
the  swamps. 

The  bailiff  (Mr.  Fowler)  was  of  opinion  that  the 
patina  soil  was  the  best  ;  therefore,  while  the  large 
native  force  was  engaged  in  sweeping  the  forest  from 
the  surface,  operations  were  commenced  according  to 
agricultural  rules  upon  the  patinas. 

A  tract  of  land  known  as  the  '  Moon  Plains,'  com- 
prising about  two  hundred  acres,  was  immediately 
commenced  upon.  As  some  persons  considered  the 
settlement  at  Newera  Ellia  the  idea  of  a  lunatic,  the 
*  Moon  Plain '  was  an  appropriate  spot  for  the  experi- 
ment. A  tolerable  level  field  of  twenty  acres  was 
fenced  in,  and  the  work  began  by  firing  the  patina 
and  burning  off  all  the  grass.  Then  came  three 
teams  as  follows  : — 

Lord  Ducie's  patent  cultivator,  drawn  by  an  ele- 


24  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  ii 

phant ;  a  skim,  drawn  by  another  elephant  ;  and   a 
long  wood  plough,  drawn  by  eight  bullocks. 

The  field  being  divided  into  three  sections,  was 
thus  quickly  pared  of  the  turf,  the  patent  cultivator 
working  admirably,  and  easily  drawn  by  the  elephant. 

The  weather  being  very  dry  and  favourable  for 
the  work,  the  turf  was  soon  ready  for  burning  ;  and 
being  piled  in  long  rows,  much  trouble  was  saved  in 
subsequently  spreading  the  ashes.  This  being  com* 
pleted,  we  had  six  teams  at  work,  two  horse,  two 
bullock,  and  two  elephant ;  and  the  ploughing  was 
soon  finished.  The  whole  piece  was  then  sown  with 
oats. 

It  was  an  interesting  sight  to  see  the  rough  plain 
yielding  to  the  power  of  agricultural  implements, 
especially  as  some  of  those  implements  were  drawn 
by  animals  not  generally  seen  in  plough  harness  at 
home. 

The  '  cultivator,'  which  was  sufficiently  large  to 
anchor  any  twenty  of  the  small  native  bullocks, 
looked  a  mere  nothing  behind  the  splendid  elephant 
that  worked  it,  and  it  cut  through  the  wiry  roots 
of  the  rank  turf  as  a  knife  peels  an  apple.  It  was 
amusing  to  see  this  same  elephant  doing  the  work 
of  three  separate  teams  when  the  seed  was  in  the 
ground.  She  first  drew  a  pair  of  heavy  harrows  ; 
attached  to  these  and  following  behind  were  a  pair  of 
light  harrows ;  and  behind  these  came  a  roller.     Thus 


CHAP.  II.         SAGACITY  OF   THE  ELEPHANT  25 

the  land  had  its  first  and  second  harrowing  and  rolling 
at  the  same  time. 

This  elephant  was  particularly  sagacious  ;  and  her 
farming  work  being  completed,  she  was  employed  in 
making  a  dam  across  a  stream.  She  was  a  very  large 
animal,  and  it  was  beautiful  to  witness  her  wonderful 
sagacity  in  carrying  and  arranging  the  heavy  timber 
required.  The  rough  stems  of  trees  from  the  lately- 
felled  forest  were  lying  within  fifty  yards  of  the  spot, 
and  the  trunks  required  for  the  dam  were  about  fifteen 
feet  long  and  fourteen  to  eighteen  inches  in  diameter. 
These  she  carried  in  her  mouthy  shifting  her  hold  along 
the  log  before  she  raised  it  until  she  had  obtained  the 
exact  balance ;  then,  steadying  it  with  her  trunk,  she 
carried  every  log  to  the  spot,  and  laid  them  across  the 
stream  in  parallel  rows.  These  she  herself  arranged, 
under  the  direction  of  her  driver,  with  the  reason 
apparently  of  a  human  being. 

The  most  extraordinary  part  of  her  performance 
was  the  arranging  of  two  immense  logs  of  red  keenar 
(one  of  the  heaviest  woods).  These  were  about 
eighteen  feet  long  and  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  they 
were  intended  to  lie  on  either  bank  of  the  stream 
parallel  to  the  brook  and  close  to  the  edge.  These 
she  placed  with  the  greatest  care  in  their  exact 
positions,  unassisted  by  any  one."  She  rolled  them 
gently  over  with  her  head,  then  with  one  foot,  and 

'   Directed  of  course  by  her  driver. 


26  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ii. 

keeping  her  trunk  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  log,  she 
checked  its  way  whenever  its  own  momentum  would 
have  carried  it  into  the  stream.  Although  I  thought 
the  work  admirably  done,  she  did  not  seem  quite 
satisfied,  and  she  presently  got  into  the  stream,  and 
gave  one  end  of  the  log  an  extra  push  with  her  head, 
which  completed  her  task,  the  two  trees  lying  exactly 
parallel  to  each  other,  close  to  the  edge  of  either  bank. 
Tame  elephants  are  constantly  employed  in 
building  stone  bridges  when  the  stones  required  for 
the  abutments  are  too  heavy  to  be  managed  by 
crowbars. 

Many  were  the  difficulties  to  contend  against  when 
the  first  attempts  were  made  in  agriculture  at  Newera 
Ellia.  No  sooner  were  the  oats  a  few  «nches  above 
ground  than  they  were  subjected  to  the  nocturnal 
visits  of  elk  and  hogs  in  such  numbers  that  they  were 
almost  wholly  destroyed. 

A  crop  of  potatoes  of  about  three  acres  on  the 
newly-cleared  forest  land  was  totally  devoured  by 
grubs.  The  bull  and  stock  were  nearly  starved  on 
the  miserable  pasturage  of  the  country,  and  no  sooner 
had  the  clover  sprung  up  in  the  new  clearings  than 
the  Southdown  ram  got  hoven  upon  it  and  died.  The 
two  remaining  rams,  not  having  been  accustomed  to 
much  high  living  since  their  arrival  at  Newera  Ellia, 
got  pugnacious  upon  the  clover,  and  in  a  pitched 
battle  the  Leicester  ram   killed  the  Cotswold — and 


CHAP.  II.       'DEATH'   IN  THE  SETTLEMENT  27 

remained  solus.  An  epidemic  appeared  among  the 
cattle,  and  twenty-six  fine  bullocks  died  within  a  few 
days  ;  five  Australian  horses  died  during  the  first 
year,  and  everything  seemed  to  be  going  into  the  next 
world  as  fast  as  possible. 

Having  made  up  my  mind  to  all  manner  of  dis- 
appointments, these  casualties  did  not  make  much 
impression  on  me,  and  the  loss  of  a  few  crops  at  the 
outset  was  to  be  expected  ;  but  at  length  a  deplorable 
and  unexpected  event  occurred. 

The  bailiff's  family  consisted  of  a  wife  and 
daughter  ; — the  former  was  the  perfection  of  a 
respectable  farmer's  wife,  whose  gentle  manners  and 
amiable  disposition  had  gained  her  many  friends  ;  the 
daughter  was  a  very  pretty  girl  of  nineteen. 

For  some  time  Mrs.  Fowler  had  been  suffering 
from  an  illness  of  long  standing,  and  I  was  suddenly 
called  to  join  in  the  mournful  procession  to  her  grave. 
This  was  indeed  a  loss  which  I  deeply  deplored. 

At  length  death  left  the  little  settlement,  and  a 
ray  of  sunshine  shone  through  the  gloom  which  would 
have  made  many  despond.  Fortune  smiled  upon 
everything.  Many  acres  of  forest  were  cleared,  and 
the  crops  succeeded  each  other  in  rapid  succession. 
I  had,  however,  made  the  discovery  that  without 
manure  notJdng  would  thrive.  This  had  been  a  great 
disappointment,  as  much  difficulty  lay  in  procuring 
the  necessary  item. 


28  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  ii 

Had  the  natural  pasturage  been  good,  it  would 
soon  have  been  an  easy  matter  to  procure  any  amount 
of  manure  by  a  corresponding  number  of  cattle  ;  but 
as  it  happened,  the  pasturage  was  so  bad  that  no 
beast  could  thrive  upon  it.  Thus  everything,  even 
grass-land,  had  to  be  manured,  and,  fortunately,  a 
cargo  of  guano  having  arrived  in  the  island,  we  were 
enabled  to  lay  down  some  good  clover  and  seeds. 

The  original  idea  of  cultivation  driving  the  forests 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  Newera  Ellia  was  therefore 
dispelled  Every  acre  of  land  must  be  manured,  and 
upon  a  large  scale  at  Newera  Ellia  that  is  impossible. 
With  manure  everything  will  thrive  to  perfection 
excepting  wheat.  There  is  neither  lime  nor  magnesia 
in  the  soil.  An  abundance  of  silica  throws  a  good 
crop  of  straw,  but  the  grain  is  wanting  ;  Indian  corn 
will  not  form  grain  from  the  same  cause.  On  the 
other  hand,  peas,  beans,  turnips,  carrots,  cabbages, 
&c.,  produce  crops  as  heavy  as  those  of  England. 
Potatoes,  being  the  staple  article  of  production,  are 
principally  cultivated,  as  the  price  of  20/.  per  ton 
yields  a  large  profit.  These,  however,  do  not  produce 
larger  crops  than  from  four  to  six  tons  per  acre  when 
heavily  manured  ;  but  as  the  crop  is  fit  to  dig  in  three 
months  from  the  day  of  planting,  money  is  quickly 
made. 

There  are  many  small  farmers,  or  rather  gardeners, 
at  Newera   Ellia  who  have  succeeded   uncommonly 


CHAP.  II.  SUCCESS   OF  EMIGRANTS.  29 

well.  One  of  the  emigrants  who  left  my  service 
returned  to  England  in  three  years  with  three  hun- 
dred pounds  ;  and  all  the  industrious  people  succeed. 
I  am  now  without  one  man  whom  I  brought  out. 
The  bailiff  farms  a  little  land  of  his  own,  and  his 
pretty  daughter  is  married  ;  the  others  are  scattered 
here  and  there,  but  I  believe  all  are  doing  well, 
especially  the  blacksmith,  upon  whose  anvil  Fortune 
has  smiled  most  kindly. 

By  the  bye,  that  same  blacksmith  has  the  right 
stamp  of  a  'better  half  for  an  emigrant's  wife. 
According  to  his  own  description,  she  is  a  '  good 
knock-about  kind  of  a  wife.'  I  recollect  seeing  her, 
during  a  press  of  work,  rendering  assistance  to  her 
Vulcan  in  a  manner  worthy  of  a  Cyclops'  spouse. 
She  was  wielding  an  eighteen-pound  sledge-hammer, 
sending  the  sparks  flying  at  every  blow  upon  the  hot 
iron,  and  making  the  anvil  ring  again,  while  her 
husband  turned  the  metal  at  every  stroke,  as  if 
attending  on  Nasmyth's  patent  steam  hammer. 

It  has  been  a  great  satisfaction  to  me  that  all  the 
people  whom  I  brought  out  are  doing  well  ;  even 
Henry  Perkes,  of  elephant-jockeying  notoriety,  is,  I 
believe,  prospering  as  a  groom  in  Madras. 


EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  hi. 


CHAPTER   III. 

Task  Completed — The  Mouutaiii-top — Change  in  ihc  P^ace  of  Nature 
— Original  Importance  of  Newera  Ellia — *  The  Path  of  a  Thousand 
Princes' — Vestiges  of  Former  Population — Mountains — The  High- 
lands of  Ouva — Ancient  Methods  of  Irrigation— Remains  of 
Aqueducts — The   Vale   of    Rubies — Ancient   Ophir — Discovery    of 

'    Gold— Mineral  Resources — Native  Blacksmiths. 

In  a  climate  like  that  of  Newera  Ellia,  even  twelve 
months  make  a  great  change  in  the  appearance  of  a 
new  settlement ;  plants  and  shrubs  spring  up  with 
wonderful  rapidity,  and  a  garden  of  one  year's  growth, 
without  attendance,  would  be  a  wilderness. 

A  few  years,  necessarily,  made  a  vast  change  in 
everything.  All  kinds  of  experiments  had  been 
made,  and  those  which  succeeded  were  persevered  in. 
I  discovered  that  excellent  beer  might  be  made  at 
this  elevation  (6,200  feet),  and  I  accordingly  esta- 
blished a  small  brewery. 

The  solitary  Leicester  ram  had  propagated  a 
numerous  family,  and  a  flock  of  fat  ewes,  with  their 
lambs,  throve  to  perfection.  Many  handsome  young 
heifers  looked  very  like  the  emigrant  bull  in  the 
face,  and  claimed  their  parentage.     The  fields  were 


CHAP.  111.  TASK  COMPLETED.  31 

green ;  the  axe  no  longer  sounded  in  the  forest ;  a 
good  house  stood  in  the  centre  of  cultivation ;  a  road 
of  two  miles  in  length  cut  through  the  estate,  and 
the  whole  place  looked  like  an  adopted  '  home.' 
All  the  trials  and  disappointments  of  the  beginning 
were  passed  away,  and  the  real  was  a  picture  which 
I  had  ideally  contemplated  years  before.  The  task 
was  finished. 

In  the  interim,  public  improvements  had  not  been 
neglected ;  an  extremely  pretty  church  had  been 
erected,  and  a  public  reading-room  established ;  but, 
with  the  exception  of  one  good  house  which  had  been 
built,  private  enterprise  had  lain  dormant.  As  usual, 
from  January  to  May,  Newera  EUia  was  over- 
crowded with  visitors,  and  nearly  empty  during  the 
other  months  of  the  year. 

All  Ceylon  people  dread  the  wet  season  at 
Newera  EUia,  which  continues  from  June  to  De- 
cember. 

I  myself  prefer  it  to  what  is  termed  the  dry 
season,  at  which  time  the  country  is  burnt  up  by 
drought.  There  is  never  more  rain  at  Newera  Ellia 
than  vegetation  requires,  and  not  one-fourth  the 
quantity  falls  at  this  elevation  compared  to  that  of 
the  low  country.  It  may  be  more  continuous,  but  it 
is  of  a  lighter  character,  and  more  akin  to  *  Scotch 
mist.'  The  clear  days  during  the  wet  season  are  far 
more  lovely  than  the  constant  glare  of  the  summer 

D 


32  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  m. 

months,  and  the  rays  of  the  sun  are  not  so  power- 
ful. 

There  cannot  be  a  more  beautiful  sight  than  the 
view  of  sunrise  from  the  summit  of  Pedrotallagalla, 
the  highest  mountain  in  Ceylon,  which,  rising  to  the 
height  of  8,300  feet,  looks  down  upon  Newera  Ellia, 
some  two  thousand  feet  below  upon  one  side,  and 
upon  the  interminable  depths  of  countless  ravines 
and  valleys  at  its  base. 

There  is  a  feeling  approaching  the  sublime  when 
a  solitary  man  thus  stands  upon  the  highest  point  of 
earth,  before  the  dawn  of  day,  and  waits  the  first 
rising  of  the  sun.  Nothing  above  him  but  the  dusky 
arch  of  heaven.  Nothing  on  his  level  but  empty 
space,— all  beneath,  deep  beneath  his  feet.  From 
childhood  he  has  looked  to  heaven  as  the  dwelling  of 
the  Almighty,  and  he  now  stands  upon  that  lofty 
summit  in  the  silence  of  utter  solitude  ;  his  hand,  as 
he  raises  it  above  his  head,  the  highest  mark  upon 
the  sea-girt  land  ;  his  form  above  all  mortals  upon 
this  land,  the  nearest  to  his  God.  Words,  till  now 
unthought  of,  tingle  in  his  ears, — *  He  went  up  into  a 
mountain  apart  to  pray.'  He  feels  the  spirit  which 
prompted  the  choice  of  such  a  lonely  spot,  and  he 
stands  instinctively  uncovered,  as  the  first  ray  of  light 
spreads  like  a  thread  of  fire  across  the  sky. 

And  now  the  distant  hill-tops,  far  below,  struggle 
through  the  snowy  sheet  of  mist,  like  islands  in  a 


CHAP.  III.       CHANGE   IN    THE  EACE   OF  NATURE.         33 

fairy  sea  ;  and  far,  how  far  his  eye  can  scan,  where  the 
faint  line  upon  the  horizon  marks  the  ocean  !  Moun- 
tain and  valley,  hill  and  plain,  with  boundless  forest, 
stretch  beneath  his  feet,  far  as  his  sight  can  gaze,  and 
the  scene,  so  solemnly  beautiful,  gradually  wakens  to 
his  senses :  the  birds  begin  to  chirp ;  the  dew-drops 
fall  heavily  from  the  trees,  as  the  light  breeze  stirs 
from  an  apparent  sleep  ;  a  golden  tint  spreads  ovei 
the  sea  of  mist  below ;  the  rays  dart  lightning-like 
upon  the  eastern  sky  ;  the  mighty  orb  rises  in  all  the 
fulness  of  his  majesty,  recalling  the  words  of  Omni- 
potence,— *  Let  there  be  light ! ' 

The  sun  is  risen  !  the  misty  sea  below  mounts  like 
a  snowy  wreath  around  the  hill-tops,  and  then,  like 
a  passing  thought,  it  vanishes.  A  glassy  clearness 
of  the  atmosphere  reveals  the  magnificent  view  of 
Nature,  fresh  from  her  sleep  ;  every  dewy  leaf  gilded 
by  the  morning  sun,  every  rock  glistening  with 
moisture  in  his  bright  rays,  mountain  and  valley, 
wood  and  plain,  ahke  rejoicing  in  his  beams. 

And  now,  the  sun  being  risen,  we  gaze  from  our 
lofty  post  upon  Newera  Ellia,  lying  at  our  feet.  We 
trace  the  river  winding  its  silvery  course  through  the 
plain,  and  for  many  miles  the  alternate  plains  and 
forests  joining  in  succession. 

How  changed  are  some  features  of  the  landscape 
within  the  few  past  years,  and  how  wonderful  the 
alteration    made   by   man   on   the   face   of  Nature ! 

D  2 


34  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  in. 

Comparatively  but  a  few  years  ago,  Newera  Ellia  was 
undiscovered— a  secluded  plain  among  the  mountain- 
tops,  tenanted  by  the  elk  and  boar.  The  wind 
swept  over  it,  and  the  mists  hung  around  the  moun- 
tains, and  the  bright  summer  with  its  spotless  sky 
succeeded,  but  still  it  was  unknown  and  unseen 
except  by  the  native  bee-hunter,  in  his  rambles  for 
wild  honey.  How  changed  !  The  road  encircles 
the  plain,  and  carts  are  busy  in  removing  the  pro- 
duce of  the  lanc\  Here,  where  wild  forest  stood, 
are  gardens  teeming  with  English  flowers  ;  rosy-faced 
children  and  ruddy  countrymen  are  about  the  cottage 
doors ;  equestrians  of  both  sexes  are  galloping  round 
the  plain,  and  the  cry  of  the  hounds  is  ringing  on  the 
mountain-side. 

How  changed !  There  is  an  old  tree  standing 
upon  a  hill,  whose  gnarled  trunk  has  been  twisted  by 
the  winter's  wind  for  many  an  age,  and  so  screwed 
is  its  old  stem,  that  the  axe  has  spared  it,  out  of 
pity,  when  its  companions  were  all  swept  away,  and 
the  forest  felled.  And  many  a  tale  that  old  tree 
could  tell  of  winter's  blasts  and  broken  boughs,  and 
storms  which  hov/led  above  its  head,  when  all  was 
wilderness  around.  The  eagle  has  roosted  in  its 
top,  the  monkeys  have  gambolled  in  its  branches,  and 
the  elephants  have  rubbed  their  tough  flanks  against 
its  stem  in  times  gone  by;  but  it  now  throws  a 
shadow  upon   a   Christian's  grave  ;    and  the  church- 


CHAP.  III.      IMPORTANCE   OF  NEWER  A   ELLIA.  35 

yard  lies  beneath  its  shade.  The  church  bell  sounds 
where  the  elephant  trumpeted  ot  yore.  The  sun- 
beam has  penetrated  where  the  forest  threw  its 
dreary  shade,  and  a  ray  of  light  has  shone  through 
the  moral  darkness  of  the  spot. 

The  completion  of  the  church  is  the  grand  im- 
provement in  Newera  Ellia. 

Although  Newera  Ellia  was  in  the  wild  state 
described  when  first  discovered  by  Europeans,  it  is 
not  to  be  supposed  that  its  existence  was  unknown 
to  the  Cingalese.  The  name  itself  proves  its  former 
importance  to  the  kings  of  Kandy,  as  Newera  Ellia 
signifies  *  Royal  Plains.'  Kandy  is  termed  by  the 
Cingalese  *  Newera,*  as  it  was  the  capital  of  Ceylon, 
and  the  residence  of  the  king. 

Although  the  country  is  wild,  and  in  many  por- 
tions unvisited  by  Europeans,  still  every  high  moun- 
tain, and  every  little  plain,  in  this  wilderness  of  forest, 
is  not  only  known  to  the  natives  of  the  adjacent  low 
country,  but  has  its  separate  designation.  There  is 
no  feature  without  its  name,  although  the  immense 
tract  of  mountains  are  totally  uninhabited,  and  the 
nearest  villages  are  some  ten  or  twelve  miles  distant, 
between  two  and  three  thousand  feet  below. 

There  are  native  paths  from  village  to  village, 
across  the  mountains,  which,  although  in  appearance 
no  more  than  deer-runs,  have  existed  for  many  cen- 
turies, and  are  used  by  the  natives  even  to  this  day. 


3^  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  hi 

The  great  range  of  forest-covered  Newera  Ellia 
mountains  divides  the  two  districts  of  Ouva  and 
Kotmalee,  and  these  paths  have  been  formed  to 
connect  the  two  by  an  arduous  ascent  upon  either 
side,  and  a  comparatively  level  cut  across  the 
shoulders  of  the  mountains,  through  alternate  plain 
and  forest  for  some  twenty-five  miles.  These  paths 
would  never  be  known  to  Europeans  were  it  not  for 
the  distant  runs  of  the  hounds,  in  following  which, 
after  some  hours  of  fatiguing  jungle  work,  I  have 
come  upon  a  track.  The  notches  on  the  tree-stems 
have  proved  its  artificial  character,  and  by  following 
its  course  I  have  learnt  the  country. 

There  is  not  a  path,  stream,  hill,  or  plain  within 
many  miles  of  Newera  Ellia,  that  I  do  not  know 
intimately,  although  when  the  character  of  the 
country  is  scanned  by  a  stranger  from  some  moun- 
tain-top, the  very  act  of  traversing  it  appears  im- 
possible. This  knowledge  has  been  gained  by  years 
of  unceasing  hunting,  and  by  perseveringly  following 
up  the  hounds  wherever  they  have  gone.  From 
sunrise  till  nightfall  I  have  often  ploughed  along 
through  alternate  jungles  and  plains,  listening  eagerly 
for  the  cry  of  the  hounds,  and  at  length  discovering 
portions  of  the  country  which  I  had  never  known  to 
exist. 

There  is  a  great  pleasure  in  thus  working  out 
the   features   of    a   wild    country,    especially   in   an 


CHAP.  HI.     'THE  PATH  OF  A   THOUSAND  PRJNCES:      37 

island  like  Ceylon,  which,  in  every  portion,  exhibits 
traces  of  former  prosperity  and  immense  popula- 
tion. Even  these  uninhabited  and  chilly  regions, 
up  to  an  elevation  of  7,000  feet,  are  not  blank 
pages  in  the  book  of  Nature,  but  the  hand  of  man 
is  so  distinctly  traced,  that  the  keen  observer  can 
read  with  tolerable  certainty  the  existence  of  a 
nation  long  since  passed  away. 

As  I  before  mentioned,  I  pitched  my  settlement 
on  the  verge  of  the  highland,  at  the  eastern  ex- 
tremity of  the  Newera  Ellia  plain,  where  the  road 
commences  a  sudden  descent  towards  EaduUa, 
thirty-three  miles  distant.  This  spot,  forming  a 
shallow  gap,  was  the  ancient  native  entrance  to 
Newera  Ellia  from  that  side,  and  the  Cingalese  de- 
signation for  the  locality  is  interpreted  *the  Path 
of  a  Thousand  Princes.'  This  name  assists  in  the 
proof  that  Newera  Ellia  was  formerly  of  some 
great  importance.  A  far  more  enticing  name  gives 
an  interest  to  the  first  swampy  portion  of  the  plain 
some  three  hundred  paces  beyond,  viz.,  'the  Valley  of 
Rubies.' 

Now,  having  plainly  discovered  that  Newera 
Ellia  was  of  some  great  importance  to  the  natives, 
let  us  consider  in  what  that  value  consisted.  There 
are  no  buildings  remaming,  no  ruins,  as  in  other 
parts  of  Ceylon,  but  a  liquid  mine  of  wealth  poured 
from  these  lofty  regions.     The  importance  of  Newera 


38  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON,  chap.  hi. 

Ellia  lay;  first,  in  its  supply  of  ivater,  and,  secondly, 
in  its  gems. 

In  all  tropical  countries,  the  first  principle  of 
cultivation  is  irrigation,  without  which  the  land 
would  remain  barren.  In  a  rice-growing  country 
like  Ceylon,  the  periodical  rains  are  insufficient,  and 
the  whole  system  of  native  agriculture  depends  upon 
the  supply  of  water.  Accordingly,  the  mountains 
being  the  reservoirs  from  which  the  rivers  spring, 
become  of  vital  importance  to  the  country. 

The  principal  mountains  in  Ceylon  are  Pedro- 
tallagalla,  8,280  feet ;  Kirigallapotta,  7,900  ;  Tota- 
pella,  8,000  ;  and  Adam's  Peak,  7,700,  &c. ;  but  al- 
though their  height  is  so  considerable,  they  do 
not  give  the  idea  of  grandeur  which  such  an 
altitude  would  convey.  They  do  not  rise  abruptly 
from  a  level  base,  but  they  are  merely  the  loftiest 
of  a  thousand  peaks  towering  from  the  highlands  of 
Ceylon. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  highland  district  may 
therefore  be  compared  to  one  vast  mountain  ;  hill 
piled  upon  hill,  and  peak  rising  over  peak  ;  ravines 
cf  immense  depth,  forming  innumerable  conduits 
for  the  mountain  torrents.  Then,  at  the  elevation 
of  Newera  Ellia,  the  heavings  of  the  land  appear 
to  have  rested,  and  gentle  undulations,  diversified 
by  plains  and  forests,  extend  for  some  thirty  miles. 
Fiom  these  comparatively  level  tracts  and  swampy 


CHAP,  m  MOUNTAINS.  39 

plains,  the  rivers  of  Ceylon  derive  then  source,  and 
the  three  loftiest  peaks  take  their  base  ;  Pedrotalia- 
galla  rising  from  the  Newera  Ellia  Plain,  Totapella, 
and  Kirigallapotta  from  the  Horton  Plains. 

The  whole  of  the  highland  district  is  thus  com- 
posed of  a  succession  of  ledges  of  great  extent  at 
various  elevations,  commencing  with  the  highest, 
the  Horton  Plains,  7,000  feet  above  thesea. 

Seven  hundred  feet  below  the  Horton  Plains,  the 
Totapella  Plains  and  undulating  forests  continue  at 
this  elevation  as  far  as  Newera  Ellia  for  about 
twenty  miles,  thus  forming  the  second  ledge. 

Six  miles  to  the  west  of  Newera  Ellia,  at  a  lower 
elevation  of  about  nine  hundred  feet,  the  district  of 
Dimboola  commences,  and  extends  at  this  elevation 
over  a  vast  tract  of  forest-covered  country,  stretch- 
ing still  further  to  the-  west,  and  containing  a  small 
proportion  of  plain. ^ 

At  about  the  same  elevation,  nine  miles  on  the 
north  of  Newera  Ellia,  we  descend  to  the  Elephant 
Plains ; — a  beautiful  tract  of  fine  grass  country, 
but  of  small  extent.  This  tract  and  that  of  Dim- 
boola form  the  third  ledge. 

Nine  miles  to  the  east  of  Newera  Ellia,  at  a 
lower  elevation  of  1,500  feet,  stretches  the  Ouva 
country,  forming  the  fourth  ledge. 

"  The  forests  have  now  been  cleared,  ajid  this  district  is  in  cofTet 
cultivation. 


iu  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iji. 

The  features  of  this  countr>'  are  totally  distinct 
from  any  other  portion  of  Ceylon.  A  magnificent 
view  extends  as  far  as  the  horizon,  of  undulating 
open  grass  land,  diversified  by  the  rich  crops  of 
paddy  which  are  grown  in  each  of  the  innumerable 
small  valleys  formed  by  the  undulations  of  the 
ground.  Not  a  tree  is  to  be  seen  except  the  low 
brushwood  which  is  scantily  distributed  upon  its  sur- 
face. We  emerge  suddenly  from  the  forest-Covered 
mountains  of  Newera  EUia,  and,  from  a  lofty  point 
on  the  high  road  to  Badulla,  we  look  down  upon  the 
splendid  panorama  stretched  like  a  waving  sea  be- 
neath our  feet.  The  road  upon  which  we  stand  is 
scarped  out  of  the  mountain's  side.  The  forest  has 
ceased,  dying  off  gradually  into  isolated  patches,  and 
long  ribbon-like  strips  on  the  sides  of  the  mountain, 
upon  which,  rich  grass  is  growing  in  vivid  contrast  to 
the  rank  and  coarse  herbage  of  Newera  Ellia,  distant 
only  five  miles. 

Descending  until  we  reach  Wilson's  Plain,  nine 
miles  from  Newera  Ellia,  we  arrive  in  the  district  of 
Ouva,  as  much  like  the  Sussex  Downs  as  any  place 
to  which  it  can  be  compared. 

This  district  comprises  about  six  hundred  square 
miles,  and  forms  the  fourth  and  last  ledge  of  the 
highlands  of  Ceylon.  Passes  from  the  mountains 
which  form  the  wall-like  boundaries  of  this  table- 
land descend  to  the  low  country  in  various  directions 


CHAP.  HI.  THE  HIGHLANDS  OF  OUVA.  41 

The  whole  of  the  Ouva  district  upon  the  one  side, 
and  of  the  Kotmalee  district  on  the  other  side,  of  the 
Newera  Ellia  range  of  mountains,  are,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  immediate  neighbourhood  of  Kandy 
and  Colombo,  the  most  populous  districts  of  Ceylon. 

This  is  entirely  owing  to  the  never-failing  supply 
of  water  obtained  from  the  mountains,  and  upon  this 
supply  the  wealth  and  prosperity  of  the  country 
depend. 

The  ancient  history  of  Ceylon  is  involved  in  much 
obscurity ;  but,  nevertheless,  we  have  sufficient  data 
in  the  existing  traces  of  its  former  population  to  form 
our  opinions  of  the  position  and  power  which  Ceylon 
occupied  in  the  Eastern  Hemisphere,  when  England 
was  in  a  state  of  barbarism.  The  wonderful  remains 
of  ancient  cities,  tanks,  and  water-courses  throughout 
the  island  all  prove  that  the  now  desolate  regions 
were  tenanted  by  a  multitude — not  of  savages,  but  of 
a  race  long  since  passed  away,  full  of  industry  and 
intelligence. 

Among  the  existing  traces  of  former  population 
few  are  more  interesting  than  those  in  the  vicinity  of 
Newera  Ellia. 

Judging  from  the  present  supply  of  water  required 
for  the  cultivation  of  a  district  containing  a  certain 
population,  we  can  arrive  at  a  tolerably  correct  idea 
of  the  former  population  by  comparing  this  supply 
with  that  formerly  required. 


42  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  hi. 

Although  the  district  of  Ouva  is  at  present  well 
populated,  and  every  hollow  is  taken  advantage  of 
for  the  cultivation  of  paddy,  still  the  demand  for 
water  in  proportion  to  the  supply  is  comparatively 
small. 

The  system  of  irrigation  has  necessarily  involved 
immense  labour.  For  many  miles  the  water  is  con- 
ducted from  the  mountains  through  dense  forests, 
across  ravines,  round  the  steep  sides  of  opposing  hills, 
now  leaping  into  a  lower  valley  into  a  reservoir,  from 
which  it  is  again  led  through  this  arduous  country 
until  it  at  length  reaches  the  land  wliich  it  is  destined 
to  render  fertile. 

There  has  been  a  degree  of  engineering  skill  dis- 
played in  forming  aqueducts  through  such  formidable 
obstacles ;  the  hills  are  lined  out  in  every  direction 
with  these  proofs  of  industry,  and  their  winding 
course  can  be  traced  round  the  grassy  sides  of  the 
steep  mountains,  while  the  paddy  fields  are  seen 
miles  away  in  the  valleys  of  Ouva  stretched  far  be- 
neath. 

At  least  eight  out  of  ten  of  these  water-courses 
are  dry,  and  the  masonry  required  in  the  sudden 
angles  of  ravines  has  in  most  cases  fallen  to  decay. 
Even  those  aqueducts  still  in  existence  are  of  the 
second  class ;  small  streams  have  been  conducted 
from  their  original  course,  and  these  serve  for  the 
supply  of  the  present  population. 


CHAP.  III.        ANCIENT  METHODS   OF  IRRIGATION.         43 

From  the  remains  of  deserted  water-courses  of  the 
first  class,  it  is  evident  that  more  than  fifty  times  the 
volume  of  water  was  then  required  that  is  in  use  at 
present,  and  in  the  same  ratio  must  have  been  the 
amount  of  population. 

In  those  days  rivers  were  diverted  from  their 
natural  channels ;  opposing  hills  were  cut  through, 
and  the  waters  thus  were  led  into  another  valley  to 
join  a  stream  flowing  in  its  natural  bed,  whose  course, 
eventually  obstructed  by  a  dam,  poured  its  accumu- 
lated waters  into  canals  which  branched  to  various 
localities.  Not  a  river  in  those  times  flowed  in  vain. 
The  hill-sides  were  terraced  out  in  beautiful  order ; 
these  are  now  waving  with  wild  vegetation  and  rank- 
lemon  grass. 

The  remaining  traces  of  stone  walls  point  out 
the  ancient  boundaries  far  above  the  secluded  valleys 
now  in  cultivation. 

The  nation  has  vanished  ;  and  with  it  the  industry 
and  perseverance  of  the  era. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  cause  of  the  former  im- 
portance of  Newera  EUia,  or  the  *  Royal  Plains.' 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  very  existence  of  the 
population  depended  upon  the  supply  of  water,  and 
that  supply  was  obtained  from  the  neighbourhood  of 
Newera  EUia.  Therefore  a  king  in  possession  of 
Newera  EUia  had  the  most  complete  command  over 
his  subjects  ;    he  could  either  give  or  withhold  the 


44  EIGHT   YEARS  IN   CEYLON.  chap.  hi. 

supply  of  water  at  his  pleasure  by  allowing  its  free 
exit,  or  by  altering  its  course. 

Thus  during  rebellion  he  could  starve  his  people 
into  submission,  or  lay  waste  the  land  in  time  of 
foreign  invasion.  I  have  seen  in  an  impregnable 
position  the  traces  of  an  ancient  fort,  evidently 
erected  to  defend  the  pass  to  the  main  water-course 
from  the  low  country. 

This  gives  us  a  faint  clue  to  the  probable  cause  of 
the  disappearance  of  the  nation. 

In  time  of  war  or  intestine  commotion  the  water 
may  have  been  cut  off  from  the  low  country,  and  the 
exterminating  effects  of  famine  may  have  laid  the 
whole  land  desolate. 

It  is  therefore  no  longer  a  matter  of  astonish- 
ment that  the  present  vale  of  Newera  Ellia  should 
have  received  its  appellation  of  the  /  Royal  Plain.' 
In  those  days  there  was  no  very  secure  tenure  to  the 
throne,  and  by  force  alone  could  a  king  retain  it. 
The  more  blood-thirsty  and  barbarous  the  tyrant, 
the  more  was  he  dreaded  by  the  awe-stricken  and 
trembling  population.  The  power  of  such  a  weapon 
of  annihilation  as  the  command  of  the  waters  may 
be  easily  conceived,  as  it  invested  a  king  with  almost 
divine  authority  in  the  eyes  of  his  subjects. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  the  existence  of  precious 
gems  at  Newera  Ellia  may  have  been  accidentally 
discovered    in  digging    the   numerous   water-courses 


CHAP.  Ill  THE    VALE    OF  RUBIES.  45 

in  the  vicinity :  there  is,  however,  no  doubt  that 
at  some  former  period  the  east  end  of  the  plain, 
called  the  'Vale  of  Rubies,'  constituted  the  Royal 
'  Diggings.' 

That  the  king  of  Kandy  did  not  reside  at  Newera 
Ellia  there  is  little  wonder,  as  a  monarch  delighting 
in  a  temperature  of  85°  Fahr.  would  have  regarded 
the  climate  of  a  mean  temperature  of  60°  Fahr.  as  we 
should  that  of  Nova  Zembla. 

We  may  take  it  for  granted,  therefore,  that  when 
the  king  came  to  Newera  Ellia  his  visit  had  some 
object,  and  we  presume  that  he  came  to  look  at  the 
condition  of  his  water-courses,  and  to  supermtend 
the  digging  for  precious  stones ;  in  the  same  manner 
that  Ceylon  governors  of  past  years  visited  Arippo 
during  the  pearl  fishing. 

The  '  diggings '  of  the  kings  of  Kandy  must  have 
been  conducted  on  a  most  extensive  scale.  Not  only 
has  the  Vale  of  Rubies  been  regularly  turned  up  for 
many  acres,  but  all  the  numerous  plains  in  the 
vicinity  are  full  of  pits,  some  of  very  large  size  and  of 
a  depth  varying  from  three  to  seventeen  feet.  The 
Newera  Ellia  Plain,  the  Moon-stone  Plain,  the  Kon- 
dapall6  Plain,  the  Elk  Plains,  the  Totapella  Plains, 
the  Horton  Plains,  the  Bopatalava  Plains,  the  Augara 
Plains  (translated  the  *  Diggings '),  and  many  others, 
extending  over  a  surface  of  thirty  miles,  are  all  more 
or  less  studded  by  deep  pits  formed  by  the  ancient 


46  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  cha?.  hi. 

searchers  for  gems,  which  in  those  days  were  a  royal 
monopoly. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  search  for  gems 
would  have  been  thus  persevered  in  unless  it  was 
found  to  be  remunerative ;  but  it  is  a  curious  fact  that 
no  Englishmen  are  ever  to  be  seen  at  work  at  this 
employment.  The  natives  would  still  continue  the 
search,  were  they  permitted,  upon  the  'Vale  of 
Rubies ; '  but  I  warned  them  off  on  purchasing  the 
land  ;  and  I  have  several  good  specimens  of  gems 
which  I  have  discovered  by  digging  two  feet  beneath 
the  surface. 

The  surface  soil  being  of  a  light  peaty  quality,  the 
stones,  from  their  greater  gravity,  lie  beneath,  mixed 
with  a  rounded  quartz  gravel,  which  in  ages  past 
must  have  been  subjected  to  the  action  of  running 
water.  This  quartz  gravel,  with  its  mixture  of  gems, 
rests  upon  a  stiff  white  pipe-clay. 

In  this  stratum  of  gravel  an  infinite  number  of 
small,  and  for  the  most  part  worthless,  specimens 
of  gems  are  found,  consisting  of  sapphire,  ruby, 
emerald,  jacinth,  tourmaline,  chrysoberyl,  zircon,  cat's- 
eye,  '  moon-stone,*  and  *  star-stone.*  Occasionally  a 
stone  of  value  rewards  the  patient  digger ;  but,  unless 
he  thoroughly  understands  it,  he  is  apt  to  pass  over 
the  gems  of  most  value  as  pieces  of  ironstone. 

The  mineralogy  of  Ceylon  has  hitherto  been  little 
understood.      It   has   often    been   suggested   as   the 


CHAP.  III.  DISCOVERY  OF  GOLD.  47 

*  Ophir '  of  the  time  of  Solomon,  and  doubtless,  from 
its  production  of  gems,  it  might  deserve  the  name. 

It  has  hitherto  been  the  opinion  of  most  writers 
on  Ceylon  that  the  precious  metals  do  not  exist  in 
the  island ;  and  Dr.  Davy  in  his  work  makes  an 
unqualified  assertion  to  that  effect.  But  from  the 
discoveries  recently  made,  I  am  of  opinion  that  it 
exists  in  very  large  quantities  in  the  mountainous 
districts  of  the  island. 

It  is  amusing  to  see  the  positive  assertions  of  a 
clever  man  upset  by  a  few  uneducated  sailors. 

A  few  men  of  the  latter  class,  who  had  been  at 
the  gold-diggings  both  in  California  and  Australia, 
happened  to  engage  in  a  ship  bound  for  Colombo. 
Upon  arrival,  they  obtained  leave  from  the  captain 
for  a  stroll  on  shore,  and  they  took  the  road  towards 
Kandy,  and  when  about  half-way,  it  struck  them, 
from  the  appearance  of  the  rocks  in  the  uneven  bed 
of  a  river,  called  the  Maha  Oya,  '  that  gold  must 
exist  in  its  sands.*  They  had  no  geological  reason 
for  this  opinion  ;  but  the  river  happened  to  be  very 
like  those  in  California,  in  which  they  had  been 
accustomed  to  find  gold.  They  accordingly  set  to 
work  with  a  tin  pan  to  wash  the  sand,  and  to  the 
astonishment  of  everyone  in  Ceylon,  and  to  the  utter 
confusion  of  Dr.  Davy's  opinions,  they  actually  dis- 
covered gold  ! 

The  quantity  was  small  ;  but  the  men  were  very 
E 


4.S  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  iil 

sanguine  of  success,  and  were  making  their  prepara- 
tions for  working  on  a  more  extensive  scale,  when 
they  were  all  prostrated  by  jungle  fever  ;  a  guardian- 
spirit  of  the  gold  at  Ambepuss6,  which  will  ever 
effectually  protect  it  from  Europeans. 

They  all  returned  to  Colombo,  and,  when  conva- 
lescent, they  proceeded  to  Newera  Ellia,  naturally 
concluding  that  the  gold  which  existed  in  dust  in  the 
rivers  below  must  be  washed  down  from  the  richer 
stores  of  the  mountains. 

Their  first  discovery  of  gold  at  Newera  Ellia  was 
on  the  14th  of  June,  1854,  on  the  second  day  of  their 
search  in  that  locality.  This  was  found  in  the  '  Vale 
of  Rubies.' 

I  had  advised  them  to  make  their  first  search  in 
that  spot  for  this  reason  :  that,  as  the  precious  stones 
had  there  settled  in  the  largest  numbers,  from  their 
superior  gravity,  it  was  natural  to  conclude  that,  it 
gold  should  exist,  it  would,  from  its  giavity,  be  some- 
where below  the  precious  stones,  or  in  their  vicinity. 

From  the  facility  with  which  it  has  been  dis- 
covered, it  is  impossible  to  form  an  opinion  as  to  the 
quantity  or  the  extent  to  which  it  will  eventually  be 
developed.  It  is  equally  impossible  to  predict  the 
future  discoveries  which  may  be  made  of  other 
minerals.  It  is  well  known  that  quicksilver  was 
found  at  Cotta,  six  miles  from  Colombo,  in  the  year 
1797.     It  was  in  small  quantities,  and  was  neglected 


CHAP.  III.  MINERAL  RhSOURCES.  49 

by  the  Government,  and  no  extended  search  was 
prosecuted.'  The  present  search  for  gold  may  bring 
to  light  mineral  resources  of  Ceylon  which  have 
hitherto  lain  hidden. 

The  minerals  proved  to  exist  up  to  the  present 
time  are  gold,  quicksilver,  plumbago,  and  iron.  The 
two  latter  are  of  the  finest  quality,  and  in  immense 
abundance.  The  rocks  of  Ceylon  are  primitive,  con- 
sisting of  granite,  gneiss,  and  quartz.  Of  these  the 
two  latter  predominate.  Dolomite  also  exists  in 
large  quantities  up  to  an  elevation  of  5,000  feet,  but 
not  beyond  this  height. 

Plumbago  is  disseminated  throughout  the  whole 
of  both  soil  and  rocks  in  Ceylon,  and  may  be  seen 
covering  the  surface  in  the  drains  by  the  road-side, 
after  a  recent  shower. 

It  is  principally  found  at  Ratnapoora  and  at  Bel- 
ligam,  in  large  detached  kidney-shaped  masses,  from 
four  to  twenty  feet  below  the  surface.  The  cost  of 
digging  and  the  transport  are  the  only  expenses  at- 
tending it,  as  the  suppl}  is  inexhaustible.  Its  com  • 
ponent  parts  are  nineteen  of  carbon  and  one  of  iron. 

It  exists  in  such  quantities  in  the  gneiss  rocks, 
that  upon  their  decomposition  it  is  seen  in  bright 
specks  like  silver  throughout. 

This  gneiss  rock,  when  in  a  peculiar  stage  of 
decay,  has  the  appearance  and  consistency  of  yellow 
brick,  speckled  with  plumbago.     It  exists  in  this  state 


50  EIGITT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  hi. 

in  immense '  masses,  and  forms  a  valuable  building- 
stone,  as  it  can  be  cut  with  ease  to  any  shape  re- 
quired, and  though  soft  when  dug,  it  hardens  by 
exposure  to  the  air.  It  has  also  the  valuable  pro- 
perty of  withstanding  the  greatest  heat ;  and  for  fur- 
nace building  it  is  equal  to  Stourbridge  fire-bricks. 

The  finest  quality  of  iron  is  found  upon  the  moun- 
tains in  various  forms,  from  the  small  ironstone 
gravel  to  large  masses  of  many  tons  in  weight,  pro- 
truding from  the  earth's  surface. 

So  valuable  is  that  considered  at  Newera  Ellia 
and  the  vicinity,  that  the  native  blacksmiths  have 
been  accustomed  fr.jm  time  immemorial  to  make 
periodical  visits  for  the  purpose  of  smelting  the  ore. 
The  average  specimens  of  this  produce  about  eighty 
per  cent,  of  pure  metal,  even  by  the  coarse  native 
process  of  smelting.     The  operations  are  as  follow  : — 

Having  procured  the  desired  amount  of  ore,  it  is 
rendered  as  small  as  possible  by  pounding  with  a 
hammer. 

A  platform  is  then  built  of  clay,  about  six  feet  in 
length  by  three  feet  in  height  and  width. 

A  small  well  is  formed  in  the  centre  of  the  plat- 
form, about  eighteen  inches  in  depth  and  diameter ; 
egg-shaped. 

A  few  inches  from  the  bottom  of  this  well  is  an 
air-passage,  connected  with  a  pipe  and  bellows. 

The  well  is  then   filled   with  alternate  layers  of 


CHAP.  Ill  NATIVE  BLACKSMITHS.  51 

charcoal  and  pulverised  iron  ore  ;  the  fire  is  lighted, 
and  the  piocess  of  smelting  commences. 

The  bellows  are  formed  of  two  inflated  skins,  like 
a  double  *  bagpipe.*  Each  foot  of  the  *  bellows; 
blower'  is  strapped  to  one  skin,  the  pipes  of  the 
bellows  being  fixed  in  the  air-hole  of  the  blast.  He 
then  works  the  skins  alternately  by  moving  his  feet 
up  and  down,  being  assisted  in  this  treadmill  kind  of 
labour  by  the  elasticity  of  two  bamboos,  of  eight  or 
ten  feet  in  length,  the  butts  of  which,  being  firmly 
fixed  in  the  ground,  enable  him  to  retain  his  balance 
by  grasping  one  with  either  hand.  From  the  yielding 
top  of  each  bamboo,  a  string  descends  attached  to 
either  big  toe  ;  thus  the  downward  pressure  of  each 
foot  upon  the  bellows  strains  upon  the  bamboo  top 
as  a  fish  bears  upon  a  fishing-rod,  and  the  spring  of 
the  cane  assists  him  in  lifting  up  his  leg.  Without 
this  assistance,  it  would  be  impossible  to  continue  the 
exertion  for  the  time  required. 

While  the  '  bellows-blower  *  is  thus  getting  up  a 
blaze,  another  man  attends  upon  the  well,  which  he 
continues  to  feed  alternately  with  fresh  ore  and  a  cor- 
responding amount  of  charcoal,  every  now  and  then 
throwing  in  a  handful  of  fine  sand  as  a  flux. 

The  return  for  a  whole  day's  pufiing  and  blowing 
will  be  about  twenty  pounds  weight  of  badly  smelted 
iron.   This  is  subsequently  remelted,  and  is  eventually 


52  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON,  chap.  hi. 

worked  up  into  hatchets,  hoes,  betel-crackers,  &c.  tJtc., 
being  of  a  superior  quality  to  the  best  Swedish  iron. 

If  the  native  blacksmith  were  to  value  his  time 
at  only  sixpence  per  diem,  from  the  day  on  which  he 
first  started  for  the  mountains,  till  the  day  that  he 
returned  from  his  iron-smelting  expedition,  he  would 
find  that  his  metal  would  have  cost  him  rather  a  high 
price  per  hundredweight ;  and  if  he  were  to  make  the 
same  calculation  of  the  value  of  time,  he  would  dis- 
cover that  by  the  time  he  had  completed  one  axe,  he 
could  have  purchased  ready-made,  for  one-third  the 
money,  an  English  tool  of  superior  manufacture. 
This,  however,  is  not  their  style  of  calculation.  Time 
has  no  value,  according  to  their  crude  ideas ;  there- 
fore, if  they  want  an  article,  and  can  produce  it  with- 
out the  actual  outlay  of  cash,  no  matter  how  much 
time  is  expended,  they  will  prefer  that  method  of 
obtaining  it. 

Unfortunately,  the  expense  of  transit  is  so  heavy 
from  Newera  Ellia  to  Colombo,  that  this  valuable 
metal,  like  the  fine  timber  of  the  forests,  must  remain 
useless. 


53 


CHAPTER  IV. 

PoYerty  of  Soil — Ceylon  Sugar  —  Fatality  of  Climate— Supposed 
Fertility  of  Soil— Native  Cultivation— Neglect  of  Rice  Cultivation- 
Abandoned  Reservoirs-- Former  Prosperity — Ruins  of  Cities — 
Pollanarua — The  Great  Dagoba — Architectural  Relics — The  Rock 
Temple — Destmction  of  Population — Neglected  Capabilities — Sug- 
gestions for  Increasing  Population — Progress  of  Pestilence— Deserted 
Villages— Difficulties  in  the  Cultivation  of  Rice — Division  of  Laboui 
— Native  Agriculture. 

From  the  foregoing  description,  the  reader  will  have 
inferred  that  Newera  Ellia  is  a  delightful  place  of 
residence,  with  a  mean  temperature  of  60°  Fahr., 
abounding  with  beautiful  views  of  mountain  and 
plain,  and  of  boundless  panoramas  in  the  vicinity. 
He  will  also  have  discovered  that,  in  addition  to  the 
healthiness  of  its  climate,  its  natural  resources  are 
confined  to  its  timber  and  mineral  productions,  as  the 
soil  is  decidedly  poor. 

The  appearance  of  the  latter  has  deceived  every- 
one, especially  the  black  soil  of  the  patina,  which  my 
bailiff  on  his  first  arrival  declared  to  be  excellent. 
Lord  Torrington,  who  is  well  known  as  an  agricul- 
turist, was  equally  deceived.^    He  was  very  confident 


54  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iv. 

in  the  opinion  that  *  it  only  required  draining  to 
enable  it  to  produce  anything.'  The  real  fact  is,  that 
it  is  far  inferior  to  the  forest  land,  and  will  not  pay 
for  the  working. 

Nevertheless,  it  is  my  decided  opinion  that  the 
generality  of  the  forest  land  at  Newera  EUia  and 
the  vicinity  is  superior  to  that  in  other  parts  of 
Ceylon. 

There  are  necessarily  rich  lots  every  now  and 
then  in  such  a  large  extent  as  the  surface  of  the  low 
country  ;  but  these  usually  lie  on  the  banks  of  rivers 
which  have  been  subjected  to  inundations,  and  they 
are  not  fair  samples  o\  Ceylon  soil.  A  river's  bank 
or  a  valley's  bottom  must  be  tolerably  good  even  in 
the  poorest  country. 

The  great  proof  of  the  general  poverty  of  Ceylon  is 
shown  in  the  failure  of  every  agricultural  experiment 
in  which  a  rich  soil  is  required. 

Cinnamon  thrives  ;  but  why  ?  It  delights  in  a  soil 
of  quartz  sand,  in  which  nothing  else  will  grow. 

Cocoa-nut  trees  flourish  for  the  same  reason  ;  sea 
air,  a  sandy  soil,  and  a  dry  subsoil  are  all  that  the 
cocoa-nut  requires. 

On  the  other  hand,  those  tropical  productions 
which  require  a  strong  soil  invariably  prove  failures, 
and  sugar,  cotton,  indigo,  hemp,  and  tobacco,  cannot 
possibly  be  cultivated  with  success. 

Even  on  the  alluvial  soil  upon  the  banks  of  rivers, 


CHAP.  IV.  CEYLON  SUGAR.  55 

sugar  does  not  pay  the  proprietor.  The  only  sugar 
estate  in  the  island  that  can  keep  its  head  above 
water,  is  the  Peredenia  estate,  within  four  miles  of 
Kandy.  This,  again,  lies  upon  the  bank  of  the 
Mahawelli  river,  and  it  has  also  the  advantage  of  a 
home  market  for  its  produce,  as  it  supplies  the  in- 
terior of  Ceylon  at  the  rate  of  23^.  per  cwt.  upon 
the  spot. 

Any  person  who  thoroughly  understands  the 
practical  cultivation  of  the  sugar-cane  can  tell  the 
quality  of  sugar  that  will  be  produced  by  an  exami- 
nation of  the  soil.  I  am  convinced  that  no  soil  in 
Ceylon  will  produce  a  sample  of  fine  straw-coloured, 
dry,  bright,  large  crystallized  sugar  The  finest  sample 
ever  produced  of  Ceylon  sugar  is  a  dull  grey ;  and 
always  moist ;  requiring  a  very  large  proportion  of 
lime  in  the  manufacture,  without  which  ii-  could  neither 
be  cleansed  nor  crystallized. 

The  sugar-cane,  to  produce  fine  sugar,  requires  a 
rich,  stiff,  and  very  dry  soil.  In  Ceylon  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  a  stiff  soil  existing.  The  alluvial  soil 
upon  the  banks  of  rivers  is  adapted  for  the  growth  of 
cotton  and  tobacco,  but  not  for  the  sugar-cane.  In 
such  light  and  moist  alluvial  soil  the  latter  will  grow 
to  a  great  size,  and  will  yield  a  large  quantity  of  juice 
in  which  the  saccharometer  may  stand  well ;  but  the 
degree  of  strength  indicated  will  proceed  from  an  im- 
mense proportion  of  mucilage,  which  will  give  much 


5*^  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iv. 

trouble  in  the  cleansing  during  boiling ,  and  the 
sugar  produced  must  be  wanting  in  dryness  and  fine 
colour. 

There  are  several  rivers  in  Ceylon  whose  banks 
would  produce  good  cotton  and  tobacco,  especially 
those  in  the  districts  of  Hambantotte  and  Batticaloa; 
such  as  the  '  Wallawe,'  the  '  Yalle  river,'  the  *  Koom- 
bookanaar,'  &c. ;  but  even  here  the  good  soil  is  very 
limited,  lying  on  either  bank  for  only  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  in  width.  In  addition  to  this,  the  unhealthiness 
of  the  climate  is  so  great  that  I  am  convinced  no 
European  constitution  could  withstand  it.  Even  the 
natives  are  decimated  at  certain  seasons  by  the  most 
virulent  fevers  and  dysentery. 

These  diseases  generally  prevail  to  the  greatest 
extent  during  the  dry  season.  This  district  is  par- 
ticularly subject  to  severe  droughts }  months  pass 
away  without  a  drop  of  rain  or  a  cloud  upon  the  sky. 
Every  pool  and  tank  is  dried  up;  the  rivers' forsake 
their  banks,  and  a  trifling  stream  trickles  over  the 
sandy  bed.  Thus  all  the  rotten  wood,  dead  leaves, 
and  putrid  vegetation  brought  down  by  the  torrent 
during  the  wet  season,  are  left  upon  the  dried  bed  to 
infect  the  air  with  miasma. 

This  deadly  climate  would  be  an  insurmountable 
obstacle  to  the  success  of  estates.  Even  could 
managers  be  found  to  brave  the  danger,  one  season  of 
sickness  and  death  among  the  coolies  would  e^ive  tJie 


ciiAi'.  IV.  SUPPOSED  FERTILITY  OF  SOIL.  57 

estate  a  name  which  would  deprive  it  of  all  future 
supplies  of  labour. 

Indigo  is  indigenous  to  Ceylon  ;  but  it  is  of  an 
inferior  quality,  and  an  experiment  made  in  its  culti- 
vation was  a  total  failure. 

In  fact,  nothing  will  permanently  succeed  in  Ceylon 
soil  without  abundance  of  manure,  with  the  exception 
of  cinnamon  and  cocoa-nuts.  Even  the  native  gardens 
will  not  produce  a  tolerable  sample  of  the  common 
sweet  potato  without  manure,  a  positive  proof  of  the 
general  poverty  of  the  soil. 

Nevertheless,  Ceylon  has  had  a  character  for  fer- 
tility. Bennett,  in  his  work  entitled  *  Ceylon  and  its 
Capabilities,'  describes  the  island  in  the  most  florid 
terms,  as  *  the  most  important  and  valuable  of  all  the 
insular  possessions  of  the  imperial  crown.'  Again,  he 
speaks  of  '  its  fertile  soil,  and  indigenous  vegetable 
productions,'  &c.  &c.  Again  :  *  Ceylon,  though  com- 
paratively but  little  known,  is  pre-eminent  in  natural 
resources.'  All  this  serves  to  mislead  the  public 
opinion.  Agricultural  experiments  in  a  tropical 
country  in  a  little  garden  highly  manured  may  be 
very  satisfactory  and  very  amusing.  Everything 
must  necessarily  come  to  perfection  with  great  ra- 
pidity ;  but  these  experiments  are  no  proof  of  what 
Ceylon  will  produce,  and  the  popular  idea  of  its  fer- 
tility has  been  at  length  proved  a  delusion. 

It  is  a  dangerous  thing  for  any  man  to  sit  down 


58  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iv. 

to  •  make '  a  book.  If  he  has  had  personal  experience, 
let  him  write  a  description  of  those  subjects  which  he 
understands  ;  but  if  he  attempts  to  *  make '  a  book,  he 
must  necessarily  collect  information  from  hearsay, 
when  he  will  most  probably  gather  some  '  chaff  '  with 
his  grain. 

Can  any  man,  when  describing  the  '  fertility '  of 
Ceylon,  be  aware  that  newly-cleared  forest  land  will 
only  produce  one  crop  of  the  miserable  grain  called 
korrakan  ?  Can  he  understand  why  the  greater 
portion  of  Ceylon  is  covered  by  dense  thorny 
jungles  }  It  is  simply  this,  that  the  land  is  so  despe- 
rately poor,  that  it  will  only  produce  one  crop,  and 
thus  an  immense  acreage  is  required  for  the  support 
of  a  few  inhabitants  ;  thus,  from  ages  past  up  to  the 
present  time,  the  natives  have  been  continually  felling 
fresh  forest  and  deserting  the  last  clearing,  which  has 
accordingly  grown  into  a  dense  thorny  jungle,  forming 
what  are  termed  the  '  Chdnars '  of  Ceylon. ' 

So  fully  aware  are  the  natives  of  the  impossibility 
of  getting  more  than  one  crop  out  of  the  land,  that 
they  plant  all  that  they  require  at  the  same  time.  Thus 
may  be  seen  in  a  field  of  korrakan  (a  small  grain), 
extensive  coracana,  Indian  corn,  millet,  and  pumpkins, 

'  It  has  been  satisfactorily  proved  that  although  the  soil  of  Ceylon 
is  poor,  it  is  nevertheless  peculiarly  adapted  for  the  growth  of  wood. 
Thus  such  shrubs  as  coffee,  tea,  cinnamon,  and  cinchona,  arrive  at 
great  perfection. 


CHAR  IV.  NATIVE   CULTIVATION.  59 

all  growing  together,  and  harvested  as  they  respectively 
become  ripe. 

The  principal  articles  of  native  cultivation  are 
rice,  korrakan,  Indian  corn,  betel,  areca  nuts,  pump- 
kins, onions,  garlic,  gingelly-oil  seed,  tobacco,  millet, 
red  peppers,  curry  seeds,  and  sweet  potatoes. 

The  staple  articles  of  Ceylon  production  are 
coffee,  cinnamon,  and  cocoa-nut  oil ;  which  are,  for 
the  most  part,  cultivated  and  manufactured  by 
Europeans. 

The  chief  article  of  native  consumption,  '  rice/ 
should  be  an  export  from  Ceylon  ;  but  there  has  been 
an  unaccountable  neglect  on  the  part  of  Government 
regarding  the  production  of  this  important  grain,  for 
the  supply  of  which  Ceylon  is  mainly  dependent  upon 
importation.  In  the  hitherto  overrated  general  re- 
sources of  Ceylon,  the  cultivation  of  rice  has  scarcely 
been  deemed  worthy  of  notice  ^  the  all-absorbing 
subject  of  coffee  cultivation  has  withdrawn  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Government  from  that  particular  article, 
for  the  production  of  which  the  resources  of  Ceylon 
are  both  naturally  and  artificially  immense. 

This  neglect  is  the  more  extraordinary  as  the 
increase  of  coffee  cultivation  involves  a  propor- ' 
tionate  increase  in  the  consumption  of  rice,  by 
the  additional  influx  of  cooly  labour  from  the 
coast  of  India;  therefore  the  price  and  supply  of 
rice    in    Ceylon    becomes   a   que.stion  of  similar  im- 


6o  EIGHT  YEARS  TN   CEYLON.  chap   iv 

portance  to  the  price  of  corn  in  England.  This 
dependence  upon  a  foreign  soil  for  the  supply  in- 
volves the  necessary  fluctuations  in  price,  caused  by 
uncertain  arrivals  and  precarious  harvests ;  and  the 
importance  of  an  unlimited  quantity  at  an  even  rate 
may  be  imagined,  when  it  is  known  that  every 
native  consumes  a  bushel  of  rice  per  month,  when  he 
can  obtain  it. 

Nevertheless,  the  great  capabilities  of  Ceylon 
for  the  cultivation  of  this  all  important  '  staff  of  life ' 
are  entirely  neglected  by  the  Government.  The 
tanks  which  afforded  a  supply  of  water  for  millions 
in  former  ages  now  he  idle  and  out  of  repair  ;  the 
pelican  sails  in  solitude  upon  their  surface,  and  the 
crocodile  basks  upon  their  shores;  the  thousands 
of  acres  which  formerly  produced  rice  for  a  dense 
population  are  now  matted  over  by  a  thorny  and 
impenetrable  jungle.  The  wild  buffalo  descendant 
from  the  ancient  stock  which  tilled  the  ground  of 
a  great  nation  now  roams  through  barren  forest, 
which  in  olden  times  was  a  soil  glistening  with 
fertility.  The  ruins  of  the  mighty  cities  tower 
high  above  the  trees,  sad  monuments  of  desolation^ 
where  all  was  once  flourishing,  and  where  thousands 
pwelt  within  their  walls. 

All  are  passed  away ;  and  in  the  wreck  of 
former  ages  we  trace  the  great  resources  of  the 
country  which   produced  sufficient   food   to   support 


cxiAP.  TV.  ABANDONED  RESERVOIRS.  6i 

millions ;  while  for  the  present  comparatively  bmall 
population,  Ceylon  is  dependent  upon  imports. 

These  lakes,  or  tanks,  were  works  of  much  art 
and  of  immense  labour,  for  the  purpose  of  reservoirs, 
from  the  supply  of  which  the  requisite  amount  of 
land  could  be  irrigated  for  rice  cultivation.  A 
valley  of  the  required  extent  being  selected,  the 
courses  of  neighbouring  or  distant  rivers  were  con- 
ducted into  it,  and  the  exit  of  the  waters  was 
prevented  by  great  causeways,  or  dams  of  solid 
masonry,  which  extended  for  some  miles  across  the 
lower  side  of  the  valley  thus  converted  into  a  lake. 
The  exit  of  the  water  was  then  regulated  by  means 
of  sluices,  from  which  it  was  conducted  by  channels 
to  the  rice  lands. 

These  tanks  are  of  various  extent,  and  extremely 
numerous  throughout  Ceylon.  The  largest  are  those 
of  Minneria,  Kandellai,  Padavellkiellom,  and  the 
Giant's  Tank.  These  are  from  fifteen  to  twenty- 
five  miles  in  circumference ;  but  in  former  times, 
when  the  sluices  were  in  repair  and  the  volume 
of  water  at  its  full  height,  they  must  have  been  much 
larger. 

In  those  days  the  existence  of  a  reservoir  of 
water  was  a  certain  indication  of  a  populous  and 
flourishing  neighbourhood ;  and  the  chief  cities  of 
the  country  were  accordingly  situated  in  places 
which  were  always  certain  of  a  supply.     So  careful 


62  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iv. 

were  the  inhabitants  in  husbanding  those  liquid 
resources  upon  which  their  very  existence  depended, 
that  even  the  surplus  waters  of  one  lake  were  not 
allowed  to  escape  unheeded.  Channels  were  cut 
connecting  a  chain  of  tanks  of  slightly  varying 
elevations,  over  an  extent  of  sixty  or  seventy  miles 
of  apparently  flat  country,  and  the  overflow  of  one 
tank  was  thus  conducted  in  succession  from  lake 
to  lake  until  they  all  attained  the  desired  level. 

In  this  manner  was  the  greater  portion  of 
Ceylon  kept  in  the  highest  state  of  cultivation. 
From  the  north  to  the  south,  the  island  was  thickly 
peopled,  and  the  only  portions  which  then  re- 
mained in  the  hands  of  nature  were  those  which  are 
now  seen  in  the  state  of  primeval  forest. 

Well  may  Ceylon  in  those  times  have  deserved 
the  name  of  the  *  Paradise  of  the  East'  The 
beauties  which  nature  has  showered  upon  the  land 
were  heightened  by  cultivation ;  the  forest-capped 
mountains  rose  from  a  waving  sea  of  green ;  the 
valleys  teemed  with  wealth  ;  no  thorny  jungles 
gave  a  barren  cast  to  the  interminable  prospect, 
but  the  golden  tints  of  ripening  crops  spread  to 
the  horizon.  Temples  stood  upon  the  hill-tops ; 
cities  were  studded  over  the  land,  their  lofty  dagobas 
and  palaces  reflected  on  the  glassy  surface  of  the 
lakes,  from  which  their  millions  of  inhabitants 
derived  food,  wealth,  and  life. 


CHAP.  TV.  RUINS   OF  CITIES.  63 

The  remains  of  these  cities  sufficiently  attest 
the  former  amount  of  population,  and  the  com- 
parative civilisation  which  existed  at  that  remote 
era  among  the  progenitors  of  the  present  degraded 
race  of  barbarians.  The  ruins  of  *  Anaradupoora/ 
which  cover  256  square  miles  of  ground,  are  all 
that  remain  of  the  noble  city  which  stood  within 
its  walls  in  a  square  of  sixteen  miles.  Some  idea 
of  the  amount  of  population  may  be  arrived  at, 
when  we  consider  the  present  density  of  inhabitants 
in  all  Indian  houses  and  towns.  Millions  must 
therefore,  have  streamed  from  the  gates  of  a  city 
to  which  our  modern  London  was  comparatively 
a  village. 

There  is  a  degree  of  sameness  in  the  rums  of  all 
the  ancient  cities  of  Ceylon,  which  renders  a  de- 
scription tedious.  Those  of  *  Anaradupoora  *  are 
the  largest  in  extent,  and  the  buildings  appear  to 
have  been  more  lofty,  the  great  dagoba  having 
exceeded  400  feet  in  height  ;  but  the  ruins  do  not 
exhibit  the  same  '  finish '  in  the  style  of  archi- 
tecture which  is  seen  in  the  remains  of  other 
towns. 

Among  these  *  Topare,'  anciently  called  *  Pol- 
lanarua,'  stands  foremost.  This  city  appears  to  have 
been  laid  out  with  a  degree  of  taste  which  would 
have  done  credit  to  our  modern  towns. 

Before  its  principal  gate  stretched  a  beautiful 
¥ 


64  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  iv 

lake  of  about  fifteen  miles'  circumference  (now  only 
nine).  The  approach  to  this  gate  was  by  a  broad 
road,  upon  the  top  of  a  stone  causeway,  of  between 
two  and  three  miles  in  length,  which  formed  a 
massive  dam  to  the  waters  of  the  lake  which 
washed  its  base.  To  the  right  of  this  dam  stretched 
many  miles  of  cultivation  ;  to  the  left  on  the  farther 
shores  of  the  lake,  lay  park-like  grass-lands,  studded 
with  forest  trees,  some  of  whose  mighty  descendants 
still  exist  in  the  noble  *  tamarind,'  rising  above  all 
others.  Let  us  return  in  imagination  to  Pollanarua 
as  it  once  stood.  Having  arrived  upon  the  causeway 
in  the  approach  to  the  city,  the  scene  must  have  been 
beautiful  in  the  extreme :  the  silvery  lake,  like  a 
broad  mirror  in  the  midst  of  a  tropical  park ; 
the  flowering  trees  shadowing  its  waters ;  the 
groves  of  tamarinds  sheltering  '  its  many  nocks 
and  bays ;  the  gorgeous  blossoms  of  the  pink  lotus, 
resting  on  its  glassy  surface  ;  and  the  carpet-like 
glades  of  verdant  pasturage,  stretching  far  away 
upon  the  opposite  shores  covered  with  countless 
elephants,  tamed  to  complete  obedience.  Then 
on  the  right,  below  the  massive  granite  steps  which 
form  the  causeway,  the  water  rushing  from  the 
sluice  carries  fertility  among  a  thousand  fields ; 
and  countless  labourers  and  cattle  till  the  ground : 
the  sturdy  buffaloes  straining  at  the  plough,  the 
women   laden  with    golden    sheaves    of   corn,    and 


CUAP.  rv.  POLLANARUA.  65 

baskets  of  fruit,  crowding  along  the  palm-shaded 
road  winding  towards  the  city,  from  whose  gate  a 
countless  throng  are  passing  and  returning.  Behold 
the  mighty  city!  rising  like  a  snow-white  cloud 
from  the  broad  margin  of  the  waters.  The  groves 
of  cocoa-nuts  and  palms  of  every  kind,  grouped 
in  the  inner  gardens,  throwing  a  cool  shade  upon 
the  polished  walls ;  the  lofty  palaces  towering 
among  the  stately  areca  trees,  and  the  gilded  domes 
reflecting  a  blaze  of  light  from  the  rays  of  a 
mid-day  sun.  Such  let  us  suppose  the  exterior  of 
PoUanarua. 

The  gates  are  entered,  and  a  broad  street,  straight 
as  an  arrow,  lies  before  us,  shaded  on  either  side 
by  rows  of  palms.  Here  stand,  on  either  hand,  the 
dwellings  of  the  principal  inhabitants,  bordering  the 
wide  space,  which  continues  its  straight  and  shady 
course  for  about  four  miles  in  length.  In  the  centre, 
standing  in  a  spacious  circle,  rises  the  great  dagoba, 
forming  a  grand  coup  d'ceilj  from  the  entrance  gate. 
Two  hundred  and  sixty  feet  from  the  base,  the  dagoba 
rears  its  lofty  summit.  Two  circular  terraces,  each 
of  some  twenty  feet  in  height,  rising  one  upon  the 
other,  with  a  width  of  fifty  feet,  and  a  diameter  at 
the  base  of  about  250,  form  the  step-like  platform 
upon  which  the  dagoba  stands.  These  are  ascended 
by  broad  flights  of  steps,  each  terrace  forming  a 
circular  promenade  around  the  dagoba  ;    the  whole 

F2 


66  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON,  chap.  yv. 

having  the  appearance  of  white  marble,  being 
covered  with  polished  stucco,  ornamented  with  figures 
in  bas-relief.  The  dagoba  is  a  solid  mass  of  brick- 
work in  the  shape  of  a  dome,  which  rises  from 
the  upper  terrace.  The  whole  is  covered  with 
polished  stucco,  and  surmounted  by  a  gilded  spire 
standing  upon  a  square  pedestal,  highly  ornamented 
with  with  large  figures,  also  in  bas-relief;  this 
pedestal  is  a  cube  of  about  thirty  feet,  supporting 
the  tall  gilded  spire,  which  is  surmounted  by  a 
golden  umbrella. 

Around  the  base  of  the  dagoba  on  the  upper 
terrace  are  eight  small  entrances  with  highly  orna- 
mented exteriors.  These  are  the  doors  to  eight 
similar  chambers  of  about  twelve  feet  square,  in  each 
of  which  is  a  small  altar  and  carved  golden  idol. 

This  dagoba  forms  the  main  centre  of  the  city, 
from  which  streets  branch  ofT  in  all  directions 
radiating  from  the  circular  space  in  which  it 
stands. 

The  main  street  from  the  entrance-gate  continues 
to  the  further  extremity  of  the  city,  being  crossed  at 
right  angles  in  the  centre  by  a  similar  street,  thus 
forming  two  great  main  streets  through  the  city,  ter- 
minating in  four  gates  or  entrances  to  the  town — 
north,  south,  east,  and  west. 

Continuing  along  the  mam  street  from  the  great 
dagoba  for  about  a  mile,  we  face  another  dagoba  of 


CHAP.  IV.  POLLANARUA,  67 

similar  appearance,  but  of  smaller  dimensions,  also 
standing  in  a  spacious  circle.  Near  this  rises  the 
king's  palace,  a  noble  building  of  great  height,  edged 
at  the  corners  by  narrow  octagon  towers. 

At  the  farther  extremity  of  this  main  street,  close 
to  the  opposite  entrance-gate,  is  the  rock  temple,  with 
the  massive  idols  of  Buddha  flanking  the  entrance. 

This,  from  the  form  and  position  of  the  existing 
ruins,  we  may  conceive  to  have  been  the  appearance 
of  Pollanarua  in  its  days  of  prosperity.  But  what 
remains  of  its  grandeur }  It  has  vanished  like  *  a  tale 
that  is  old  ; '  it  is  passed  away  like  a  dream  ;  the 
palaces  are  dust ;  the  grassy  sod  has  grown  in  mounds 
over  the  ruins  of  streets  and  fallen  houses  ;  nature 
has  turfed  them  in  one  common  grave  with  their 
inhabitants.  The  lofty  palms  have  faded  away,  and 
given  place  to  forest  trees,  whose  roots  spring  from 
the  crumbled  ruins  ;  the  bear  and  the  leopard  crouch 
in  the  |X)rches  of  the  temples ;  the  owl  roosts  in  the 
casements  of.  the  palaces ;  the  jackal  roams  among 
the  ruins  in  vain  ;  there  is  not  a  bone  left  for  him  to 
gnaw  of  the  multitudes  which  have  passed  away. 
There  is  their  handwriting  upon  the  temple  wall, 
upon  the  granite  slab  which  has  mocked  at  Time  ;  but 
there  is  no  man  to  decipher  it.  There  are  the  gigan- 
tic idols  before  whom  millions  have  bowed  ;  there  is 
the  same  vacant  stare  upon  their  features  of  rock 
which  grazed  upon  the  multitudes  of  yore ;  but  they 


68  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iv. 

no  longer  stare  upon  the  pomp  of  the  glorious  city, 
but  upon  ruin,  and  rank  weeds,  and  utter  desolation. 
How  many  suns  have  risen,  and  how  many  nights 
have  darkened  the  earth  since  silence  has  reigned 
amidst  the  city,  no  man  can  tell.  No  mortal  can  say 
what  fate  befel  those  hosts  of  heathens,  nor  when 
they  vanished  from  the  earth.  Day  and  night  suc- 
ceed each  other,  and  the  shade  of  the  setting  sun  still 
falls  from  the  great  dagoba ;  but  it  is  the  *  valley  of 
the  shadow  of  death '  upon  which  that  shadow  falls, 
like  a  pall  over  the  corpse  of  a  nation. 

The  great  dagoba  now  remains  a  heap  of  mould- 
ering brickwork,  stili  retaining  its  form,  but  shorn  of 
all  its  beauty.  The  stucco  covering  has  almost  all 
disappeared,  leaving  a  patch  here  and  there  upon  the 
most  sheltered  portions  of  the  building.  Scrubby 
brushwood  and  rank  grass  and  lichens  have  for  the 
most  part  covered  its  surface,  giving  it  the  appear- 
ance rather  of  a  huge  mound  of  earth  than  of  an 
ancient  building.  A  portion  of  the  palace  is  also 
standing,  and,  although  for  the  most  part  blocked  up 
with  ruins,  there  is  still  sufficient  to  denote  its  former 
importance.  The  bricks,  or  rather  the  tiles,  of  which 
all  the  buildings  are  composed,  are  of  such  an  im- 
perishable nature,  that  they  still  adhere  to  each  other 
in  large  masses  in  spots  where  portions  of  the  build- 
ings have  fallen. 

In  one  portion  of  the  ruins  there  are  a  number  of 


CHAP.  IV.  THE   GREAT  DA  GOB  A.  b^ 

beautiful  fluted  columns,  with  carved  capitals,  still 
remaining  in  a  perfect  state.  Among  these  are  the 
remains  of  a  large  flight  of  steps ;  near  them,  again,  a 
stone-lined  tank,  which  was  evidently  intended  as  a 
bath ;  and  everything  denotes  the  original  comfort 
and  arrangement  of  a  first-class  establishment.  There 
are  innumerable  relics,  all  interesting  and  worthy  of 
individual  attention,  throughout  the  ruins  over  a  sur- 
face of  many  miles ;  but  they  are  mostly  overgrown 
with  jungle  or  covered  with  rank  grass.  The  appa- 
rent undulations  of  the  ground  in  all  directions  are 
simply  the  remains  of  fallen  streets  and  buildings 
overgrown  in  like  manner  with  tangled  vegetation. 

The  most  interesting,  as  being  the  most  perfect, 
specimen  is  the  rock  temple,  which,  being  hewn  out 
of  the  solid  stone,  is  still  in  complete  preservation. 
This  is  a  small  chamber  in  the  face  of  an  abrupt 
rock,  which  doubtless,  being  partly  a  natural  cavern, 
has  been  enlarged  to  the  present  size  by  the  chisel ; 
and  the  entrance,  which  may  have  been  originally  a 
mere  hole,  has  been  shaped  into  an  arched  doorway. 
The  interior  is  not  more  than  perhaps  twenty-five 
feet  by  eighteen,  and  is  simply  fitted  up  with  an  altar 
and  the  three  figures  of  Buddha,  in  the  positions  in 
which  he  is  usually  represented,— the  sitting,  the 
reclining,  and  the  standing  postures. 

The  exterior  of  the  temple  is  far  more  interesting. 
The  narrow  archway  is  flanked  on  either  side  by  two 


TO  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iv. 

inclined  planes,  hewn  from  the  face  of  the  rock,  about 
eighteen  feet  high  by  twelve  in  width.  These  are 
completely  covered  with  an  inscription  in  the  old  Pali 
language,  which  has  never  been  translated.  Upon 
the  left  of  one  plane  is  a  kind  of  sunken  area  hewn 
out  of  the  rock,  in  which  sits  a  colossal  figure  of 
Buddha,  about  twenty  feet  in  height.  On  the  right 
of  the  other  plane  is  a  figure  in  the  standing  posture 
about  the  same  height ;  and  still  further  to  the  right, 
likewise  hewn  from  the  solid  rock,  is  an  immense 
figure  in  the  recumbent  posture,  which  is  about  fifty- 
six  feet  in  length,  or,  as  I  measured  it,  not  quite 
nineteen  paces. 

These  figures  are  of  a  far  superior  class  of  sculp- 
ture to  the  idols  usually  seen  in  Ceylon,  especially 
that  in  the  reclining  posture,  in  which  the  impression 
of  the  head  upon  the  pillow  is  so  well  executed  that 
the  massive  pillow  of  gneiss  rock  actually  appears 
yielding  to  the  weight  of  the  head. 

This  temple  is  supposed  to  be  coeval  with  the 
city,  which  was  founded  about  300  years  before 
Christ,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been  in  ruins  for 
upwards  of  600  years.  The  comparatively  recent 
date  of  its  destruction  renders  its  obscurity  the  more 
mysterious,  as  there  is  no  mention  made  of  its  anni- 
hilation in  any  of  the  Cingalese  records,  although  the 
city  is  constantly  referred  to  during  the  time  of 
its  prosperity  in   the   native  history  of  Ceylon.     It 


CHAP.  IV.  DESTRUCTION   OF  POPULATION.  71 

is  my  opinion  that   its  destruction   was   caused    by 
famine. 

In  those  days  the  kings  of  Ceylon  were  perpetu- 
ally at  variance.  The  Queen  of  the  South,  from  the 
great  city  of  Mahagam  in  the  Hambantotte  district, 
made  constant  war  with  the  kings  of  Pollanarua. 
They  again  made  war  with  the  Arabs  and  Malabars, 
who  had  invaded  the  northern  districts  of  Ceylon; 
and  as  in  modern  warfare  the  great  art  consists  in 
cutting  off  the  enemy's  supplies,  so  in  tliose  days  the 
first  and  most  decisive  blow  to  be  inflicted  was  the 
cutting  off  the  *  water.'  Thus,  by  simply  turning  the 
course  of  a  river  which  supplied  a  principal  tank,  not 
only  would  that  tank  be  exhausted,  but  the  whole  of 
the  connected  chain  of  tanks  dependent  upon  the 
principal  would  in  like  manner  be  deprived  of  water. 

This  being  the  case,  the  first  summer  or  dry 
season  would  lay  waste  the  country.  I  have  myself 
seen  the  lake  of  Minneria,  which  is  twenty-two  miles 
in  circumference,  evaporate  to  the  small  dimensions 
of  four  miles  circuit  during  a  dry  season. 

A  population  of  some  millions  wholly  dependent 
upon  the  supply  of  rice  for  their  existence  would  be 
thrown  into  sudden  starvation  by  the  withdrawal  of 
the  water.  Thus  have  the  nations  died  out,  like  a  fire 
for  lack  of  fuel. 

This  cause  will  account  for  the  decay  of  the  great 
cities  of  Ceylon.     The  population  gone,  the  wind  and 


72  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON,  chap.  iv. 

the  rain  would  howl  through  the  deserted  dwellings, 
the  white  ants  would  devour  the  supporting  beams, 
the  elephants  would  rub  their  colossal  forms  against 
the  already  tottering  houses,  and  decay  would  proceed 
with  a  rapidity  unknown  in  a  cooler  clime.  As  the 
seed  germinates  in  a  few  hours  in  a  tropical  country, 
so  with  equal  haste  the  body  of  both  vegetable  and 
animal  decays  when  life  is  extinct.  A  perpetual  and 
hurrying  change  is  visible  in  all  things.  A  few 
showers,  and  the  surface  of  the  earth  is  teeming  with 
verdure,  —  a  few  days  of  drought,  and  the  seeds 
already  formed  are  falling  to  the  earth,  springing  in 
their  turn  to  life  at  the  approach  of  moisture.  The 
same  rapidity  of  change  is  exhibited  in  their  decay 
The  heaps  of  vegetable  putridity  upon  the  banks  of 
rivers,  when  a  swollen  torrent  has  torn  the  luxuriant 
plants  from  the  loosened  soil,  are  but  the  effects  of  a 
few  hours'  change.  The  tree  that  arrives  at  maturity 
in  a  few  years  rots  in  as  short  a  time  when  required 
for  durability  ;  thus  it  is  no  mystery  that  either  a 
house  or  a  city  should  shortly  fall  to  decay  when  the 
occupant  is  gone. 

In  like  manner,  and  with  still  greater  rapidity,  is  a 
change  effected  in  the  face  of  nature.  As  the  flowers 
usurp  the  place  of  weeds  under  the  care  of  man,  so, 
when  his  hand  is  wanting,  a  few  short  weeks  bury 
them  beneath  an  overwhelming  mass  of  thorns.  In 
one   year  a  jungle  will   conceal   all  signs   of  recent 


CHAP.  IV.         DESTRUCTION   OF  POPULATION.  73 

cultivation.  Is  it  therefore  a  mystery  that  Ceylon  is 
covered  with  such  vast  tracts  of  thorny  jungle  now 
that  her  inhabitants  are  gone  t 

Throughout  the  world  there  is  a  perpetual  war 
between  man  and  nature  ;  but  in  no  country  has  the 
original  curse  of  the  earth  been  carried  out  to  a  fuller 
extent  than  in  Ceylon  :  *  thorns  also  and  thistles 
shall  it  bring  forth  to  thee.'  This  is  indeed  exempli- 
fied when  a  few  months'  neglect  of  once-cultivated 
land  renders  it  almost  impassable ;  and  where  man 
has  vanished  from  the  earth,  and  thorny  jungles  have 
covered  the  once  broad  tracts  of  prosperous  culti- 
vation. 

A  few  years  will  thus  produce  an  almost  total  ruin 
throughout  a  deserted  city.  The  air  of  desolation 
created  by  a  solitude  of  six  centuries  can  be  easily 
imagined.  There  exists,  however,  among  the  ruins  of 
Pollanarua  a  curious  instance  of  the  power  of  the 
smallest  apparent  magnitude  to  destroy  the  works  of 
man.  At  some  remote  period  a  bird  has  dropped  the 
seed  of  the  Banian  tree  (Ficus  indica)  upon  the 
decaying  summit  of  a  dagoba.  This,  germinating, 
has  struck  its  roots  downwards  through  the  brickwork, 
and,  by  the  gradual  and  insinuating  progress  of  its 
growth,  it  has  split  the  immense  mass  of  building 
into  two  sections  ;  the  twisted  roots  now  appearing 
through  the  clefts,  while  the  victorious  tree  waves  in 
exultation  above  the  ruin:  an  emblem  of  the  silent 


74  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iv. 

growth     of   *  civilization/    which    will     overturn    the 
immense  fabric  of  heathen  superstition. 

It  is  placed  beyond  a  doubt  that  the  rice-growing 
resources  of  Ceylon  have  been  suffered  to  He  dormant 
since  the  disappearance  of  her  ancient  population  ; 
and  to  these  neglected  capabilities  the  attention  of 
Government  should  be  directed. 

An  experiment  might  be  commenced  on  a  small 
scale  by  the  repair  of  one  tank, — say  Kandellai,  which 
is  only  twenty-six  miles  from  Trincomalee,  on  the  « 
high  road  to  Kandy.  This  tank,  when  the  dam  and 
sluices  are  repaired,  would  rise  to  about  nine  feet 
above  its  present  k^el,  and  would  irrigate  many 
thousand  acres. 

The  grand  desideratum  in  the  improvement  of 
Ceylon  is  the  increase  of  the  population  ;  all  of  whom 
should  in  some  measure  be  made  to  increase  the 
revenue. 

The  Government  should  therefore  hazard  this  one 
experiment  to  induce  the  emigration  of  the  industrious 
class  of  Chinese  to  the  shores  of  Ceylon.  Show  them 
a  never-failing  supply  of  water,  and  land  of  unlimited 
extent  to  be  had  on  easy  terms,  and  the  country 
would  soon  resume  its  original  prosperity.  A  tax  of 
five  per  cent,  upon  the  produce  of  the  land,  to  com- 
mence in  the  ratio  of  o  per  cent  for  the  first  year, 
three  per  cent  for  the  second  and  third,  and  the  full 
amount  of  five  for  the  fourth,  would  be  a  fair  and  easy 


CHAP.  IV.  SUGGESTION  FOR  INCREASING  rOPULATION.  75 

rent  to  the  settler,  and  would  not  only  repay  the 
Government  for  the  cost  of  repairing  the  tank,  but 
would  in  a  few  years  become  a  considerable  source 
of  revenue,  in  addition  to  the  increased  value  of  the 
land  (now  worthless)  by  a  system  of  cultivation. 

Should  the  first  experiment  succeed,  the  plan 
might  be  continued  throughout  Ceylon,  and  the  soil 
of  her  own  shores  would  produce  a  supply  for  the 
island  consumption.  The  revenue  would  be  derived 
direct  from  the  land,  which  now  produces  nothing  but 
thorny  jungle.  The  import  trade  of  Ceylon  would  be 
increased  in  proportion  to  the  influx  of  population, 
and  the  duties  upon  enlarged  imports  would  again 
tend  to  swell  the  revenue  of  the  country. 

The  felling  and  clearing  of  the  jungle,  which  culti- 
vation would  render  necessary,  would  tend  in  a  great 
measure  to  dispel  the  fevers  and  malaria  always  pro- 
duced by  a  want  of  free  circulation  of  air.  In  a 
jungle-covered  country  like  Ceylon,  diseases  of  the 
most  malignant  character  are  harboured  in  those 
dense  and  undisturbed  tracts,  which  year  after  year 
reap  a  pestilential  harvest  from  the  thinly-scattered 
population.  Cholera,  dysentery,  fever,  and  small-pox 
all  appear  in  their  turn,  and  annually  sweep  whole 
villages  away.  I  have  frequently  hailed  with  pleasure 
the  distant  tope  of  waving  cocoa-nut  trees  after  a  long 
day  s  journey  in  a  broiling  sun,  when  I  have  cantered 
towards  these  shady  warders  of  cultivation  in  hopes  of 


76  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iv. 

a  night's  halt  at  a  village.  But  the  palms  have  sighed 
in  the  wind  over  tenantless  abodes,  and  the  mouldering 
dead  have  lain  beneath  their  shade.  Not  a  living 
soul  remaining  ;  all  swept  away  by  pestilence  ;  huts 
recently  fallen  to  decay,  fruits  ripening  on  the  trees, 
and  no  hand  left  to  gather  them ;  the  shaddock  and 
the  lime  falling  to  the  earth,  to  be  preyed  upon  by 
che  worm,  like  their  former  masters.  All  dead  ;  not 
one  left  to  tell  the  miserable  tale. 

The  decay  of  the  population  is  still  progressing  ; 
and  the  next  fifty  years  will  see  whole  districts  left 
uninhabited,  unless  something  can  be  done  to  prevent 
it.  There  is  little  doubt  that,  if  land  and  water  could 
be  obtained  from  Government  in  a  comparatively 
healthy  and  populous  neighbourhood,  many  would 
migrate  to  that  point  from  the  half-deserted  districts, 
who  might  assist  in  the  cultivation  of  the  country, 
instead  of  rotting  in  a  closing  jungle. 

One  season  of  pestilence,  even  in  a  large  village, 
paves  the  road  for  a  similar  visitation  in  the  succeeding 
year,  for  this  reason. 

Say  that  a  village,  comprising  200  men,  is  reduced 
by  sickness  to  a  population  of  100.  The  remaining 
100  cannot  keep  in  cultivation  the  land  formerly  open; 
therefore,  the  jungle  closes  over  the  surface,  and  rapidly 
encroaches  upon  the  village.  Thus  the  circulation  of 
air  is  impeded,  and  disease  again  decimates  the 
population.      In   each   successive  year  the  wretched 


CHAP.  IV.  DESERTED    VILLAGES.  77 

inhabitants  are  thinned  out,  and  disease  becomes  the 
more  certain  as  the  jungle  continues  to  advance.  At 
length  the  miserable  few  are  no  longer  sufficient  to 
cultivate  the  rice  lands ;  their  numbers  will  not  even 
suffice  for  driving  their  buffaloes.  The  jungle  closes 
round  the  village  ;  cholera  finishes  the  scene  by 
sweeping  off  the  remnant ;  and  groves  of  cocoa-nut 
trees,  towering  over  the  thorny  jungle,  become  monu- 
ments sacred  to  the  memory  of  an  exterminated 
village. 

The  number  of  villages  which  have  thus  died  out 
is  almost  incredible.  In  a  day's  ride  of  twenty  miles, 
I  have  passed  the  remains  of  as  many  as  three  or 
four;  how  many  more  may  have  vanished  in  the 
depths  of  the  jungle  ! 

Wherever  the  cocoa-nut  trees  are  still  existing, 
the  ruin  of  the  village  must  have  been  comparatively 
recent,  as  the  wild  elephants  generally  overturn  the 
palms  in  a  few  years  after  the  disappearance  of 
the  inhabitants,  browsing  upon  the  succulent  tops, 
and  destroying  every  trace  of  a  former  habitation. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  when  sickness  is  annually 
reducing  the  population  of  a  district,  the  inhabitants, 
and  accordingly  the  produce  of  the  land,  must  shortly 
come  to  an  end.  In  all  times  of  pestilence,  the  first 
impulse  among  the  natives  is  to  fly  from  the  neigh- 
bourhood ;  but  at  present  there  is  no  place  of  refuge. 
It  is.  therefore,  a  matter  of  certainty  that  the  repair 


78  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iv. 

of  one  of  the  principal  tanks  would  draw  together  in 
thousands  the  survivors  of  many  half-perished  villages, 
who  would  otherwise  fall  victims  to  succeeding  years 
of  sickness. 

The  successful  cultivation  of  rice  at  all  times 
requires  an  extensive  population,  and  large  grazing 
grounds  for  the  support  of  the  buffaloes  necessary  for 
the  tillage  of  the  land. 

The  labour  of  constructing  dams  and  forming 
water-courses  is  performed  by  a  general  gathering, 
similar  to  the  American  principle  of  a  '  Bee  ; '  and,  as 
'  many  hands  make  light  work,'  the  cultivation  pro- 
ceeds with  great  rapidity.  Thus  a  large  population 
can  bring  into  tillage  a  greater  individual  proportion 
of  ground  than  a  smaller  number  of  labourers,  and 
the  rice  is  accordingly  produced  at  a  cheaper  rate. 

Few  people  understand  the  difficulties  with  which 
a  small  village  has  to  contend  in  the  cultivation  of 
rice.  The  continual  repairs  of  temporary  dams,  which 
are  nightly  trodden  down  and  destroyed  by  elephants; 
the  filling  up  of  the  water-courses  from  the  same 
cause ;  the  nocturnal  attacks  upon  the  crops  by 
elephants  and  hogs  ;  the  devastating  attacks  of  birds 
as  the  grain  becomes  ripe  ;  a  scarcity  of  water  at 
the  exact  moment  that  it  is  required ;  and  other 
numerous  difficulties,  which  are  scarcely  felt  by  a 
large  population. 

By  the   latter  the  advantage  is  enjoyed  of  the 


CHAP.  IV.    DIFFICULTIES  IN  CULTIVATING  RICE,         79 

division  of  labour.  The  dams  are  built  of  permanent 
material  ;  every  work  is  rapidly  completed ;  the 
night-fires  blaze  in  the  lofty  watch-houses,  while  the 
shouts  of  the  watchers  scare  the  wild  beasts  from 
the  crops.  Hundreds  of  children  are  daily  screaming 
from  their  high  perches  to  scare  away  the  birds. 
Rattles  worked  by  long  lines  extend  in  every  direc- 
tion, unceasingly  pulled  by  the  p'eople  in  the  watch- 
houses  ;  wind-clackers  (similar  to  our  cherry-clackers) 
are  whirling  in  all  places ;  and  by  the  division  of  the 
toil  among  a  multitude,  the  individual  work  proceeds 
without  fatigue. 

Every  native  is  perfectly  aware  of  this  advantage 
in  rice  cultivation  ;  and  were  the  supply  of  watei 
insured  to  them  by  the  repair  of  a  principal  tank, 
they  would  gather  around  its  margin.  The  thorny 
jungles  would  soon  disappear  from  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  and  a  densely-populated  and  prosperous  dis- 
trict would  again  exist,  where  all  has  been  a  wilder- 
ness for  1 ,000  years. 

The  system  of  rice  cultivation  is  exceedingly 
laborious.  The  first  consideration  being  a  supply  of 
water,  the  second  a  perfect  level,  or  series  of  levels 
to  be  irrigated.  Thus  a  hill-side  must  be  terraced 
out  into  a  succession  of  platforms  or  steps ;  and 
a  plain,  however  apparently  flat,  must,  by  the  re- 
quisite embankments,  be  reduced  to  the  most  perfect 
surface. 

G 


8o  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  iv. 

This  being  completed,  the  water  is  laid  on  for  a 
certain  time,  until  the  soil  has  become  excessively 
soft  and  muddy.  It  is  then  run  off,  and  the  land  is 
ploughed  by  a  simple  implement,  which,  being  drawn 
by  two  buffaloes,  stirs  up  the  soil  to  a  depth  of 
eighteen  inches.  This  finished,  the  water  is  again 
laid  on  until  the  mud  becomes  so  soft,  that  a  man 
will  sink  knee  3eep.  In  this  state  it  is  then 
trodden  over  by  buffaloes,  driven  backwards  and 
forwards  in  large  gangs,  until  the  mud  is  so  tho- 
roughly mixed,  that  upon  the  withdrawal  of  the 
water  it  sinks  to  a  perfect  level. 

Upon  this  surface  the  paddy,  having  been  pre- 
viously soaked  in  water,  is  now  sown  ;  and,  in  the 
course  of  a  fortnight,  it  attains  a  height  of  about  four 
inches.  The  water  is  now  again  laid  on,  and  con- 
tinued at  intervals,  until  within  a  fortnight  of  the 
grain  becoming  ripe.  It  is  then  run  off ;  the  ground 
hardens,  the  ripe  crop  is  harvested  by  the  sickle,  and 
the  grain  is  trodden  out  by  buffaloes.  The  rice  is 
then  separated  from  the  paddy  or  husk,  by  being 
pounded  in  a  wooden  mortar. 

This  is  a  style  of  cultivation  in  which  the  Cinga- 
lese particularly  excel  ;  nothing  can  be  more  beauti- 
fully regular  than  their  flights  of  green  terraces  from 
the  bottoms  of  the  valleys  to  the  very  summits  of  the 
hills ;  the  labour  required  in  their  formation  must  be 


CHAP.  IV.  NATIVE  AGRICULTURE.  8i 

immense,  as  they  are  frequently  six  feet  one  above 
the  other.  The  Cingalese  are  peculiarly  a  rice- 
growing  nation  ;  give  them  an  abundant  supply  of 
water  and  land  on  easy  terms. 


62 


EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chai».  v 


CHAPTER  V. 

Real  Cost  of  Land — Want  of  Communication — Coffee-planting — Com- 
parison between  French  and  English  Settlers- Landslips — Forest 
Clearing — Manuring — The  Coffee  Bug — Rats— Fatted  Stock — Sug 
gestions  for  Sheep  Farming — Attack  of  a  Leopard — Leopards  and 
Chetahs — Boy  Devoured — Traps — Idusk  Cats,  and  the  Mongoose— 
Vermm  of  Ceylon. 

What  is  the  Government  price  of  land  in  Ceylon  ? 
and  what  is  the  real  cost  of  the  land  ?  These  are  two 
questions  which  should  be  considered  separately, 
and  with  grave  attention,  by  the  intending  settler 
or  capitalist. 

The  upset  price  of  Government  land  is  20s.  per 
acre  ;  thus,  the  inexperienced  purchaser  is  very  apt 
to  be  led  away  by  the  apparently  low  sum  per  acre 
into  a  purchase  of  great  extent.  The  question  of  the 
real  cost  will  then  be  solved  at  his  expense.  There 
are  few  colonies  belonging  to  Great  Britain  where  the 
Government  price  of  land  is  so  high,  compared  to 
the  value  of  the  natural  productions  of  the  soil.' 

The  staple  commodity  of  Ceylon  being  coffee,  I 
will  assume  that   a  purchase  is  concluded   with  the 

'    It  must  be  remembered  thai  this  was  twenty  years  ago 


CHAP.  V.  REAL    COST  OF  LAND.  83 

Government  for  1,000  acres  of  land,  at  the  upset 
price  of  20s.  per  acre.  What  has  the  purchaser 
obtained  for  this  sum  i* — 1,000  acres  of  dense  forest, 
to  which  there  is  no  road.  The  1,000/.  passes  into 
the  Government  chest,  and  the  purchaser  is  no  longer 
thought  of;  he  is  left  to  shift  for  himself,  and  to 
make  the  most  of  his  bad  bargain. 

He  is,  therefore,  in  this  position.  He  has  parted 
with  1,000/.  for  a  similar  number  of  acres  of  land, 
which  will  not  yield  him  one  penny  in  any  shape 
until  he  has  cleared  it  from  forest.  This  he  imme- 
diately commences  by  giving  out  contracts,  and  the 
forest  is  cleared,  lopped,  and  burnt.  The  ground  is 
then  planted  with  coffee,  and  the  planter  has  to  wait 
three  years  for  a  return.  By  the  time  of  full  bear- 
ing the  whole  cost  of  felling,  burning,  planting,  and 
cleaning,  will  be  about  8/.  per  acre ;  this,  in  addition 
to  the  prime  cost  of  the  land,  and  about  2,000/.  ex- 
pended in  buildings,  machinery,  &c.  &c.,  will  bring 
the  price  of  the  land,  when  in  a  yielding  condition,  to 
11/.  an  acre  at  the  lowest  calculation.  Thus  before 
his  land  yields  him  one  fraction,  he  will  have  invested 
11,000/. — if  he  clears  the  whole  of  his  purchase. 
Many  persons  lose  sight  of  this  necessary  outlay, 
when  first  purchasing  their  land,  and  subsequently 
discover  to  their  cost  that  their  capital  is  insufficient 
to  bring  the  estate  into  cultivation. 

Then  comes  the  question  of  a  road  !     The  Go- 


S4  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  v. 

vemment  will  give  him  no  assistance  ;  accordingly,  the 
whole  of  his  crop  must  be  conveyed  on  coolies'  heads 
along  an  arduous  path  to  the  nearest  highway ; 
perhaps  fifteen  miles  distant.  Even  this  rough  path 
of  fifteen  miles,  the  planter  must  form  at  his  own 
expense. 

Considering  the  risks  that  are  always  attendant 
upon  agricultural  pursuits,  and  especially  upon  coffee- 
planting,  the  price  of  rough  land  must  be  acknow- 
ledged as  absurdly  high  under  the  present  conditions 
of  sales.  There  is  a  great  medium  to  be  observed, 
however,  in  the  sales  of  crown  land  ;  too  low  a  price 
is  even  a  greater  evil  than  too  high  a  rate,  as  it  is  apt 
to  encourage  speculators  in  land,  who  do  much  injury 
to  a  colony  by  locking  up  large  tracts  in  an  unculti- 
vated state  to  take  the  chance  of  a  future  rise  in  the 
price. 

This  evil  might  easily  be  avoided  by  retaining  the 
present  bond  fide  price  of  the  land  per  acre,  qualified 
by  an  arrangement  that  one  half  of  ths  purchase- 
money  should  be  expended  in  the  formation  of  roads 
from  the  land  in  question.  This  would  be  of  im- 
mense assistance  to  the  planters,  especially  in  a  popu- 
lous planting  neighbourhood,  where  the  purchases  of 
land  were  large  and  numerous ;  in  which  case  the 
aggregate  sum  would  be  sufficient  to  form  a  carriage- 
road  to  the  main  highway,  which  might  be  kept  in 
repair  by  a  slight  toll.     An  arrangement  of  this  kind 


CHAP.  V.  COFFEE-PLANTING.  85 

is  not  only  fair  to  the  planters,  but  would  be  ulti- 
mately beneficial  to  the  Government.  Every  fresh 
sale  of  land  would  ensure  either  a  new  road  or  the 
improvement  of  an  old  one  ;  and  the  country  would 
be  opened  up  through  the  most  remote  districts.  This 
fact  of  good  communication  would  expedite  the  sales 
of  crown  lands,  which  are  now  valueless  from  their 
isolated  position. 

Coflfee-planting  in  Ceylon  has  passed  through  the 
various  stages  inseparable  from  every  *  mania.' 

In  the  early  days  of  our  possession,  the  Kandian 
district  was  little  known,  and  sanguine  imaginations 
painted  the  hidden  prospect  in  their  ideal  colours, 
expecting  that  a  track  once  opened  to  the  interior 
would  be  the  road  to  fortune. 

How  these  golden  expectations  have  been  disap- 
pointed, the  broken  fortunes  of  many  enterprising 
planters,  can  explain. 

The  protective  duty  being  withdrawn,  a  competi- 
tion with  foreign  coffee  at  once  reduced  the  splendid 
prices  of  olden  times  to  a  more  moderate  standard,  and 
took  forty  per  cent,  out  of  the  pockets  of  the  plant- 
ers. Coffee,  which  in  those  days  brought  from  lOOi. 
to  14OJ.  per  cwt.,  is  now  reduced  to  from  60s.  to  8oj. 

This  sudden  reduction  created  an  equally  sudden 
panic  among  the  planters,  many  of  whom  were  men  of 
straw,  who  had  rushed  to  Ceylon  at  the  first  cry  of 
coffee   '  fortunes,'    and   who    had    embarked    on  an 


ie  EIGHT  YEARS  JU  CEYLON.  cMAP.  V. 

extensive  scale  with  borrowed  capital.  These  were 
the  first  to  smash.  In  those  days  the  expenses  of 
bringing  land  into  cultivation  were  more  than  double 
the  present  rate  ;  and,  the  cultivation  of  coffee  not 
being  so  well  understood,  the  produce  per  acre  was 
comparatively  small.  This  combination  of  untoward 
circumstances  was  sufficient  cause  for  the  alarm  which 
ensued,  and  estates  were  thrust  into  the  market,  and 
knocked  down  for  whatever  could  be  realised.  Mer- 
cantile houses  were  dragged  down  into  the  general 
ruin,  and  a  dark  cloud  settled  over  the  Cinnamon 
Isle. 

As  the  after  effects  of  a  *  hurricane  *  are  a  more 
healthy  atmosphere  and  an  increased  vigour  in  all 
vegetation,  so  are  the  usual  sequels  to  a  panic  in 
the  commercial  world.  Things  are  brought  down  to 
their  real  value  and  level ;  men  of  straw  are  swept 
away,  and  affairs  are  commenced  anew  upon  a  sound 
and  steady  basis.  Capital  is  invested  with  caution, 
and  improvements  are  entered  upon  step  by  step,  until 
success  is  assured. 

The  reduction  in  the  price  of  coffee  was  accord- 
ingly met  by  a  corresponding  system  of  expenditure, 
and  by  an  improved  state  of  cultivation  ;  and  at  the 
present  time  the  agricultural  prospects  of  the  colony 
are  in  a  more  healthy  state  than  they  have  ever  been 
since  the  commencement  of  coffee  cultivation. 

There  is  no  longer  any  doubt  that  a  coffee  estate 


CHAP.  V.  COFFEE-PLANTING.  87 

in  a  good  situation  in  Ceylon  will  pay  a  large  interest 
for  the  capital  invested,  and  will  ultimately  enrich  the 
proprietor,  provided  that  he  has  his  own  capital  to 
work  his  estate,  that  he  gives  his  own  personal 
superintendence,  and  that  he  understands  the  manage- 
ment. These  are  the  usual  conditions  of  success  in 
most  afifairs ;  but  a  coffee  estate  is  not  unfrequently 
abused  for  not  paying  —  when  it  is  worked  with 
borrowed  capital,  at  a  high  rate  of  interest,  under 
questionable  superintendence. 

It  is  a  difficult  thing  to  define  the  amount  which 
constitutes  a  *  fortune :'  that  which  is  enough  for  one 
man  is  a  pittance  for  another  ;  but  one  thing  is  cer- 
tain, that,  no  matter  how  small  his  first  capital,  the 
coffee  planter  hopes  to  make  his  *  fortune.' 

Now,  even  allowing  a  net  profit  of  twenty  per 
cent,  per  annum  on  the  capital  invested,  it  must  take 
at  least  ten  years  to  add  double  the  amount  to  the 
first  capital,  allowing  no  increase  to  the  spare  capital 
required  for  working  the  estate.  A  rapid  fortune  can 
never  be  made  by  working  a  coffee  estate.  Years  of 
patient  industry  and  toil,  chequered  by  many  dis- 
appointments, may  eventally  reward  the  proprietor  ; 
but  it  will  be  at  a  time  of  life  when  a  long  residence 
in  the  tropics  will  have  given  him  a  distaste  for  the 
chilly  atmosphere  of  old  England  ;  his  early  friends 
will  have  been  scattered  abroad,  and  he  will  meet  few 
faces  to  welcome  him  on  his  native  shores.     What 


88  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  v. 

cold  is  SO  severe  as  a  cold  reception  ?  —  no  thermo- 
meter can  mark  the  degree.  No  fortune,  however 
large,  can  compensate  for  the  loss  of  home,  and 
friends,  and  early  associations. 

This  feeling  is  peculiarly  strong  throughout  the 
British  nation.  You  cannot  convince  an  English 
settler  that  he  will  be  abroad  for  an  indefinite  number 
of  years ;  the  idea  would  be  equivalent  to  transporta- 
tion ;  he  consoles  himself  with  the  hope  that  some- 
thing will  turn  up  to  alter  the  apparent  certainty  of 
his  exile  ;  and  in  this  hope,  with  his  mind  ever  fixed 
upon  his  return,  he  does  little  for  posterity  in  the 
colony.  He  rarely  even  plants  a  fruit-tree,  hoping 
that  his  stay  will  not  allow  him  to  gather  from  it. 
This  accounts  for  the  poverty  of  the  gardens  and 
enclosures  around  the  houses  of  the  English  inhabi- 
tants, and  the  general  dearth  of  any  fruits  worth 
eating. 

How  different  is  the  appearance  of  French  colonies, 
and  how  different  are  the  feelings  of  the  settler !  The 
word  'Adieu'  once  spoken,  he  sighs  an  eternal  farewell 
to  the  shores  of  *  La  belle  France,'  and,  with  the 
natural  light-heartedness  of  the  nation,  he  settles 
cheerfully  in  a  colony  as  his  adopted  country.  He 
lays  out  his  grounds  with  taste,  and  plants  groves  of 
exquisite  fruit-trees,  whose  produce  will,  he  hopes,  be 
tasted  by  his  children  and  grandchildren.  Accord- 
ingly, in  a  French  colony  there  is  a  tropical  beauty  in 


CHAP.  V.        FRENCH  AND  ENGLISH  SEI ILERS.  89 

the  cultivated  trees  and  flowers,  which  is  seldom  seen 
in  our  own  possessions.  The  fruits  are  brought  to 
perfection,  as  there  is  the  same  care  taken  in  pruning 
and  grafting  the  finest  kinds  as  in  our  gardens  in 
England.* 

A  Frenchman  is  necessarily  a  better  settler ;  every- 
thing is  arranged  for  permanency,  from  the  building 
of  a  house  to  the  cultivation  of  an  estate.  He  does 
not  distress  his  land  for  immediate  profit,  but  from 
the  very  commencement  he  adopts  a  system  of  the 
highest  cultivation. 

The  latter  is  now  acknowledged  as  the  most  re- 
munerative course  in  all  countries  ;  and  its  good  effects 
are  already  seen  in  Ceylon,  where,  for  some  years 
past,  much  attention  has  been  devoted  to  manuring 
on  coffee  estates. 

No  crop  has  served  to  develop  the  natural  poverty 
of  the  soil  so  much  as  coffee  ;  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that,  were  it  possible  to  procure  manure  in  sufficient 
quantity,  the  holes  should  be  well  filled  at  the  time 
of  planting.  This  would  give  an  increased  vigour  to 
the  young  plant,  that  would  bring  the  tree  into  bearing 
at  an  earlier  date,  as  it  would  the  sooner  arrive  at 
perfection. 

The  present  system  of  coffee-planting  on  a  good 
estate  is  particularly  interesting.  It  has  now  been 
proved  that  the  best  elevation  in  Ceylon  to  combine 

'  Vide  Mauritius  and  Bourbon. 


90  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  v 

fine  quality  with  large  crops,  is  from  2,500  feet  to 
4,000.  At  one  time  it  was  considered  that  the  finest 
sample  was  produced  at  the  highest  range  ;  but  the 
estates  at  an  elevation  of  5,000  feet  are  so  long  at 
arriving  at  perfection,  and  the  crop  produced  is  so 
small,  that  the  lower  elevation  is  preferred. 

In  the  coffee  districts  of  Ceylon  there  is  little  or 
no  level  ground  to  be  obtained  ;  and  the  steep  sides 
of  the  hills  offer  many  objections  to  cultivation.  The 
soil,  naturally  light  and  poor,  is  washed  by  every 
shower,  and  the  more  soluble  portions,  together  with 
the  salts  of  the  manure  applied  to  the  trees,  are  being 
continually  robbed  by  the  heavy  rains.  Thus  it  is 
next  to  impossible  to  keep  an  estate  in  a  high  state  of 
cultivation,  without  an  enormous  expense  in  the  con- 
stant application  of  manure. 

Many  estates  are  peculiarly  subject  to  landslips, 
which  are  likewise  produced  by  the  violence  of  the 
rains.  In  these  cases  the  destruction  is  frequently  to 
a  large  extent ;  great  rocks  are  detached  from  the 
summits  of  the  hills,  and  sweep  off  whole  lines  of 
trees  in  their  descent. 

Wherever  landslips  are  frequent,  they  may  be  taken 
as  an  evidence  of  a  poor,  clay  subsoil.  The  rain  soaks 
through  the  surface  ;  and  not  being  able  to  percolate 
through  the  clay  with  sufficient  rapidity,  it  lodges 
between  the  two  strata,  loosening  the  upper  surface, 


CHAP.  V.  MANURING.  91 

which  slides  from  the  greasy  clay  ;  launched,  as  it 
were,  by  its  own  gravity  into  the  valley  below. 

This  is  the  worst  kind  of  soil  for  the  coffee- tree, 
whose  long  tap-root  is  ever  seeking  nourishment  from 
beneath.  On  this  soil  it  is  very  common  to  see  a 
young  plantation  giving  great  promise;  but  as  the 
trees  increase  in  growth,  the  tap-root  reaches  the  clay 
subsoil,  and  the  plantation  immediately  falls  off.  The 
subsoil  is  of  far  more  importance  to  the  coffee-tree 
than  the  upper  surface ;  the  latter  may  be  improved 
by  manure,  but  if  the  former  is  bad,  there  is  no 
remedy. 

The  first  thing  to  be  considered  being  the  soil,  and 
the  planter  being  satisfied  with  its  quality,  there  is 
another  item  of  equal  importance  to  be  taken  into 
consideration,  when  choosing  a  locality  for  a  coffee 
estate.  This  is  an  extent  of  grazing  land  sufficient 
for  the  support  of  the  cattle  required  for  producing 
manure. 

In  a  country  with  so  large  a  proportion  of  forest 
as  Ceylon,  this  is  not  always  practicable  ;  in  which 
case,  land  should  be  cleared,  and  grass  planted,  as  it 
is  now  proved  that  without  manure,  an  estate  will 
never  pay  the  proprietor. 

The  locality  being  fixed  upon,  the  clearing  of  the 
forest  is  commenced.  The  felling  is  begun  from  the 
base  of  the  hills,  and  the  trees  being  cut  nearly  half 


92  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  v. 

through,  are  started  in  sections  of  about  an  acre  at 
one  fall.  This  is  easily  effected  by  felling  some  large 
tree  from  the  top,  which,  falling  upon  its  half-divided 
neighbour,  carries  everything  before  it,  like  a  pack 
of  cards. 

The  number  of  acres  required  having  been  felled, 
the  boughs  and  small  branches  are  all  lopped,  and, 
together  with  the  cleared  underwood,  they  form  a 
mass  over  the  surface  of  the  ground  impervious  to 
man  or  beast.  This  tangled  ruin,  exposed  to  a 
powerful  sun,  soon  becomes  sufficiently  dry  for  burn- 
ing, and  the  time  of  a  brisk  breeze  being  selected, 
the  torch  is  applied. 

The  magnificent  sight  of  so  extensive  a  fire  is 
succeeded  by  the  desolate  appearance  of  blackened 
stumps  and  smouldering  trunks  of  trees;  the  whole 
of  the  branches  and  underwood  having  been  swept 
away  by  the  mighty  blaze,  the  land  is  comparatively 
clear. 

Holes  two  feet  square  are  now  dug  in  parallel 
lines  at  a  distance  of  from  six  to  eight  feet  apart 
throughout  the  estate  ;  and  advantage  being  taken  of 
the  wet  season,  they  are  planted  with  young  coffee- 
trees  of  about  twelve  inches  high.  Nothing  is  now 
required  but  to  keep  the  land  clean  until  the  trees 
attain  the  height  of  about  four  feet,  and  come  into 
bearing.  This,  at  an  elevation  of  3,000  feet,  they 
generally  do  in  two  years  and  a  half.     The  stem  is 


CHAP.  V.  MANURING.  93 

then  topped,  to  prevent  its  higher  growth,  and  to 
produce  a  large  supply  of  lateral  shoots. 

The  system  of  pruning  is  the  same  as  with  all 
fruit-trees ;  the  old  wood  being  kept  down  to  induce 
fruit-bearing  shoots,  whose  number  must  be  pro- 
portioned to  the  strength  of  the  tree. 

The  whole  success  of  the  estate  now  depends 
upon  constant  cleaning,  plentiful  manuring,  and  care- 
ful pruning,  with  a  due  regard  to  a  frugal  expenditure, 
and  care  in  the  up-keep  of  buildings,  &c.  &c.  Much 
attention  is  also  required  in  the  management  of  the 
cattle  on  the  estate ;  for  without  a  proper  system, 
the  amount  of  manure  produced  will  be  propor- 
tionately small.  They  should  be  bedded  up  every 
night  hock  deep  with  fresh  litter,  and  the  manure 
thus  formed  should  be  allowed  to  remain  in  the  shed 
until  it  is  between  two  or  three  feet  deep.  It  should 
then  be  treated  on  a  *  Geoffrey  *  pit  (named  after  its 
inventor). 

This  is  the  simplest  and  most  perfect  method  for 
working  up  the  weeds  from  an  estate,  and  effectually 
destroying  their  seeds,  at  the  same  time  that  they  are 
converted  into  manure  : — 

A  water-tight  platform  is  formed  of  stucco — say 
forty  feet  square— surrounded  by  a  wall  two  feet  high, 
so  as  to  form  a  tank.  Below  this  is  a  sunken  cistern 
— say  eight  feet  square— into  which  the  drainage 
would    be  conducted   from  the   upper   platform.     In 


94  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  v. 

this  cistern,  half  filled  with  a  solution  of  saltpetre 
and  sal-ammoniac,  a  force-pump  is  fitted. 

A  layer  of  weeds  and  rubbish  is  now  laid  upon 
the  platform  for  a  depth  of  three  feet,  surmounted  by 
a  stratum  of  good  dung  from  the  cattle-sheds,  one 
foot  thick.  These  layers  are  continued  alternately  in 
the  proportion  of  three  to  one  of  weeds,  until  the 
mass  is  piled  to  a  height  of  twenty  feet ;  the  last 
layer  being  good  dung.  Upon  this  mass  the  contents 
of  the  cistern  are  pumped  and  evenly  distributed  by 
means  of  a  spreader. 

This  mixture  promotes  the  most  rapid  decomposi- 
tion of  vegetable  matter,  and,  combining  with  the 
juices  of  the  weeds  and  the  salts  of  the  dung,  it 
drains  evenly  through  the  whole  mass,  forming  a 
most  perfect  compost  The  surplus  moisture,  upon 
reaching  the  bottom  of  the  heap,  drains  from  the 
slightly  inclined  platform  into  the  receiving  cistern, 
and  is  again  pumped  over  the  mass. 

This  is  the  cheapest  and  best  way  of  making 
manure  upon  an  estate,  the  cattle  sheds  and  pits 
being  arranged  in  the  different  localities  most  suit- 
able for  reducing  the  labour  of  transport. 

The  coffee-berry,  when  ripe,  is  about  the  size  of  a 
cherry,  and  is  shaped  like  a  laurel-berry.  The  flesh 
has  a  sweet  but  vapid  taste,  and  encloses  two  seeds  of 
coffee.  These  are  carefully  packed  by  nature  in  a 
double  skin. 


CHAI'.  V.  THE   COFFEE  BUG.  95 

The  cherry  coffee  is  gathered  by  coolies  at  the 
rate  of  two  bushels  each  per  diem,  and  is  cleared  from 
the  flesh  by  passing  through  a  pulper,  a  machine  con- 
sisting of  cylindrical  copper  graters,  which  tear  the 
flesh  from  the  berry  and  leave  the  coffee  in  its 
second  covering  of  parchment.  It  is  then  exposed 
to  a  partial  fermentation  by  being  piled  for  some 
hours  in  a  large  heap.  This  has  the  effect  of  loosen- 
ing the  fleshy  particles,  which,  by  washing  in  a  cistern 
of  running  water,  are  detached  from  the  berry.  It 
is  then  rendered  perfectly  dry  in  the  sun,  or  by 
means  of  artificially  heated  air  ;  and,  being  packed 
in  bags,  it  is  forwarded  to  Colombo.  Here  it  is 
unpacked  and  sent  to  the  mill,  which,  by  means  of 
heavy  rollers,  detaches  the  parchment  and  under 
silver  skin,  and  leaves  the  greyish  blue  berry  in  a 
state  for  market.  The  injured  grains  are  sorted  out 
by  women,  and  the  coffee  is  packed  for  the  last 
time  and  shipped  to  England. 

A  good  and  well  managed  estate  should  produce 
an  average  crop  of  ten  hundredweight  per  acre, 
leaving  a  nett  profit  of  fifteen  shillings  per  hundred- 
weight under  favourable  circumstances.  Unfortu- 
nately it  is  next  to  impossible  to  make  definite 
calculations  in  all  agricultural  pursuits  ;  the  in- 
clemency of  seasons  and  the  attacks  of  vermin  are 
constantly  marring  the  planter's  expectations.  Among 
the  latter  plagues  the  *  bug '  stands  foremost.     This 

H 


96  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  v 

is  a  minute  and  gregarious  insect,  which  lives  upon 
the  juices  of  the  coffee-tree,  and  accordingly  is  most 
destructive  to  an  estate.  It  attacks  a  variety  of 
plants,  but  more  particularly  the  tribe  of  jessamine  ; 
thus  the  common  jessamine,  the  '  Gardenia  *  (Cape 
jessamine),  and  the  coffee  {jfasminum  arabicum)  are 
more  especially  subject  to  its  ravages. 

The  dwelling  of  this  insect  is  frequently  con- 
founded with  the  living  creature  itself.  This  is  in 
shape  and  appearance  like  the  back  shell  of  a  tortoise, 
or,  still  more,  like  a  'limpet;*  it  is  attached  to  the 
stem  of  the  tree  in  the  same  manner  that  the  latter 
adheres  to  a  rock.  This  is  the  nest  or  house,  which, 
although  no  larger  than  a  split  hempseed,  contains 
some  hundreds  of  the  •  bug.*  As  thousands  of  these 
scaly  nests  exist  upon  one  tree,  myriads  of  insect^ 
must  be  feeding  upon  its  juices. 

The  effect  produced  upon  the  tree  is  a  blackened 
and  sooty  appearance,  like  a  London  shrub ;  the 
branches  look  withered,  and  the  berries  do  not 
plump  out  to  their  full  size,  but,  for  the  most  part, 
fall  to  the  ground  unripened.  This  attack  is  usually 
of  about  two  years'  duration,  after  which  the  tree 
loses  its  blackened  appearance ;  this  peels  off  the 
surface  of  the  leaves  like  gold-beaters*  skin,  and  they 
appear  in  their  natural  colour.  Coffee  plants  of 
young  growth  are  liable  to  complete  destruction  if 
severely  attacked  by  '  bug.'  • 


CHAP.  V.  RA  TS.  97 

Rats  are  also  very  destructive  to  an  estate  ;  they 
are  great  adepts  at  pruning,  and  completely  strip  the 
trees  of  their  young  shoots,  thus  utterly  destroying 
a  crop.  These  vermin  are  more  easily  guarded  against 
than  the  insect  tribe,  and  should  be  destroyed  by 
poison.  Hog's  lard,  ground  cocoa-nut,  and  phos- 
phorus, form  the  most  certain  bait  and  poison  com- 
bined. 

These  are  some  of  the  drawbacks  to  coffee-plant- 
ing, to  say  nothing  of  bad  seasons  and  fluctuating 
prices,  which,  if  properly  calculated,  considerably 
lessen  the  average  profits  of  an  estate,  as  it  must  be 
remembered  that  while  a  crop  is  reduced  in  quantity, 
the  expenses  continue,  and  are  severely  felt  when 
consecutive  years  bring  no  produce  to  meet  them. 

Were  it  not  for  the  poverty  of  the  soil,  the  stock 
of  cattle  required  on  a  coffee  estate  for  the  purpose 
of  manure  might  be  made  extremely  profitable,  and 
the  gain  upon  fatted  stock  would  pay  for  the  expense 
of  manuring  the  estate.  This  would  be  the  first  and 
most  reasonable  idea  to  occur  to  an  agriculturist — 
'  buy  poor  cattle  at  a  low  price,  fatten  them  for  the 
butcher,  and  they  give  both  profit  and  manure.' 

Unfortunately,  the  natural  pasturage  is  not  suffi- 
ciently good  to  fatten  beasts  indiscriminately.  There 
are  some  few  out  of  a  herd  of  a  hundred  who  will 
grow  fat  upon  anything  ;  but  the  generality  will  not 
improve  to  any  great  degree.     This  accounts  for  the 


9»  EIGHT    YEARS   IN  CEYLON.  chap.  v. 

scarcity  of  fine  meat  throughout  Ceylon.  Were  the 
soil  only  tolerably  good,  so  that  oats,  vetches,  turnips, 
and  mangel  wurtzel  could  be  grown  on  virgin  land 
without  manure,  beasts  might  be  stall-fed ;  the 
manure  would  be  doubled  by  that  method,  and  a 
profit  made  on  the  animals.  Pigs  are  now  kept 
extensively  on  coffee  estates  for  the  sake  of  their 
manure,  and  being  fed  on  Mauritius  grass  (a  coarse 
description  of  gigantic  *  couch ')  and  a  liberal  allow- 
ance of  cocoa-nut  oil-cake  ('  Poonac '),  are  found  to 
succeed,  although  the  manure  is  somewhat  costly. 

English  or  Australian  sheep  have  hitherto  been 
untried — for  what  irason  I  cannot  imagine,  unless 
from  the  expense  of  their  prime  cost,  which  is  about 
2/.  per  head.  These  thrive  to  such  perfection  at 
Newera  Ellia,  and  also  in  Kandy,  that  they  should 
succeed  in  a  high  degree  in  the  medium  altitudes  of 
the  coffee  estates.  There  are  immense  tracts  of 
country  peculiarly  adapted  for  sheep  farming  through- 
out the  highlands  of  Ceylon,  especially  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  coffee  estates.  There  are  two  ene- 
mies, however,  against  which  they  would  have  to 
contend, — viz.,  *  leopards '  and  '  leeches.'  The  former 
are  so  destructive,  that  the  shepherd  could  never 
lose  sight  of  his  flock  without  great  risk ;  but  the 
latter,  although  troublesome,  are  not  to  be  so  much 
dreaded  as  people  suppose.  They  are  very  small, 
and  the  quantity  of  blood  drawn  by  their  bite   is  so 


CHAP.  ».  LEOPARDS.  99 

trifling  that  no  injury  could  possibly  follow — unless 
from  the  flies,  which  would  be  apt  to  attack  the  sheep 
on  the  smell  of  blood.  These  are  drawbacks  which 
might  be  easily  avoided  by  common  precaution  ;  and 
I  feel  thoroughly  convinced  that  sheep  farming  upon 
the  highland  pasturage  would  be  a  valuable  adjunct 
to  a  coffee  estate,  both  as  productive  of  manure  and 
profit.  I  have  heard  the  same  opinion  expressed  by 
an  experienced  Australian  sheep  farmer. 

This  might  be  experimented  upon  in  the  '  down  ' 
country  of  Ouva  with  great  hopes  of  success,  and  by 
a  commencement  upon  a  small  scale  the  risk  would 
be  trifling.  Here  there  is  an  immense  tract  of  country, 
with  a  peculiar  short  grass  in  every  way  adapted  for 
sheep  pasturage,  and  with  the  additional  advantage 
of  being  nearly  free  from  leopards.  Should  sheep 
succeed  on  an  extensive  scale,  the  advantage  to  the 
farmer  and  to  the  colony  would  be  mutual. 

The  depredations  of  leopards  among  cattle  are 
no  inconsiderable  causes  of  loss.  At  Newera  Ellia 
hardly  a  week  passes  without  some  casualty  among 
the  stock  of  different  proprietors.  Here  the  leopards 
are  particularly  daring,  and  cases  have  frequently 
occurred  where  they  have  effected  their  entrance  to  a 
cattle  shed  by  scratching  a  hole  through  the  thatched 
roof.  They  then  commit  a  wholesale  slaughter 
among  sheep  and  cattle.  Sometimes,  however,  they 
catch  a  'Tartar.'     The  native  cattle  are  small,  but 


loo  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  v. 

very  active,   and    the    cows    are    particularly   savage 
when  the  calf  is  with  them. 

About  three  years  ago  a  leopard  took  it  into  his 
head  to  try  the  beefsteaks  of  a  very  savage  and  sharp- 
horned  cow,  who  with  her  calf  was  the  property  of 
the  blacksmith.  It  was  a  dark  rainy  night,  the 
blacksmith  and  his  wife  were  in  bed,  and  the  cow  and 
her  calf  were  nestled  in  the  warm  straw  in  the  cattle 
shed.  The  door  was  locked,  and  all  was  apparently 
secure,  when  the  hungry  leopard  prowled  stealthily 
round  the  cow-house,  sniffing  the  prey  within.  The 
strong  smell  of  the  leopard  at  once  alarmed  the  keen 
senses  of  the  cow,  made  doubly  acute  by  her  anxiety 
for  her  little  charge,  and  she  stood  ready  for  the 
danger,  as  the  leopard,  having  mounted  on  the  roof; 
commenced  scratching  his  way  through  the  thatch. 

Down  he  sprang ! — but  at  the  same  instant,  with 
a  splendid  charge,  the  cow  pinned  him  against  the 
wall,  and  a  battle  ensued  which  can  easily  be 
imagined.  A  cooly  slept  in  the  comer  of  the  cattle- 
shed,  whose  wandering  senses  were  completely  scat- 
tered when  he  found  himself  the  unwilling  umpire  of 
the  fight. 

He  rushed  out  and  shut  the  door.  In  a  few 
minutes  he  succeeded  in  awakening  the  blacksmith, 
who  struck  a  light,  and  proceeded  to  load  a  pistol, 
the  only  weapon  that  he  possessed.  During  the 
whole  of  this  time  the  bellowing  of  the  cow,  the  roars 


CHAP.  V.  ATTACK  OF  A    LEOPARD,  loi 

of  the  leopard,  and  the  thumping,  trampling,  and 
shuffling  which  proceeded  from  the  cattle-shed,  ex- 
plained the  savage  nature  of  the  fight. 

The  blacksmith,  who  was  no  sportsman,  shortly 
found  himself  with  a  lanthorn  in  one  hand,  a  pistol 
in  the  other,  and  no  idea  what  he  meant  to  do.  He 
waited,  therefore,  at  the  cattle-shed  door,  and  holding 
the  light  so  as  to  shine  through  the  numerous  small 
apertures  in  the  shed,  he  looked  in. 

The  leopard  no  longer  growled  ;  but  the  cow  was 
mad  with  fury.  She  alternately  threw  a  large  dark 
mass  above  her  head,  then  quickly  pinned  it  to  the 
ground  on  its  descent,  then  bored  it  against  the  wall, 
as  it  crawled  helplessly  towards  a  corner  of  the  shed. 
This  was  the  '  beefeater '  in  reduced  circumstances  ! 
The  gallant  little  cow  had  nearly  killed  him,  and  was 
giving  him  the  finishing  strokes.  The  blacksmith 
perceived  the  leopard's  helpless  state,  and,  boldly 
opening  the  door,  he  discharged  his  pistol,  and  the 
next  moment  was  bolting  as  hard  as  he  could  run 
with  the  warlike  cow  after  him  !  She  was  regularly 
'  up,*  and  was  ready  for  any  thing  or  any  body. 
However,  she  was  at  length  pacified,  and  the  dying 
leopard  was  put  out  of  his  misery. 

There  are  two  distinct  species  of  the  leopard  in 
Ceylon,  viz.,  the  *  chetah,'  and  the  *  leopard '  or 
'panther.'  There  have  been  many  opinions  on  the 
subject,  but  I  have  taken  particular  notice  of  the  two 


I02  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYION.  chaf  V, 

animals,  and  nothing  can  be  more  clear  than  the  dis- 
tinction.' 

The  '  chetah '  is  much  smaller  than  the  leopard, 
seldom  exceeding  seven  feet  from  the  nose  to  the 
end  of  the  tail.  He  is  covered  with  round  black 
*  spots '  of  the  size  of  a  shilling,  and  his  weight  rarely 
exceeds  ninety  pounds. 

The  leopard  varies  from  eight  to  nine  feet  in 
length,  and  has  been  known  to  reach  even  ten  feet. 
His  body  is  covered  with  black  '  ringsl  with  a  rich 
brown  centre — his  muzzle  and  legs  are  speckled 
with  black  ^ spots y  and  his. weight  is  from  iio  to 
170  pounds.  There  is  little  or  no  distinction  be- 
tween the  leopard  and  the  panther,  they  are  synony- 
mous terms  for  a  variety  of  species  in  different 
countries. 

In  Ceylon  all  leopards  are  termed  *  chetahs'  ; 
which  proceeds  from  the  general  ignorance  of  the 
presence  of  the  two  species. 

The  power  of  the  animal  is  wonderful  in  pro- 
portion to  its  weight.  I  have  seen  a  full-grown 
bullock  with  its  neck  broken  by  a  leopard.  It  is 
the  popular  belief  that  the  effect  is  produced  by 
a  blow  of  the  paw ;  this  is  not  the  case  ;  it  is  not 
simply   the   blow,  but  it  is  the  combination  of  the 

•  The  chetah  is  the  general  name  for  the  small  species,  but  it  is 
totally  distinct  from  the  well-known  chetah  or  hunting  leopard^  whicfc 
does  not  exist  in  Ceylon. 


CHAi.  V.  ATTACK  OF  A   LEOPARD.  103 

weight,  the  muscular  power,  and  the  momentum 
of  the  spring,  which  render  the  effects  of  a  leopard's 
attack  so  surprising. 

Few  leopards  rush  boldly  upon  their  prey  like  a 
dog  ;  they  stalk  their  game,  and  advance  crouch- 
ingly,  making  use  of  every  object  that  will  afford 
them  cover  until  they  are  within  a  few  bounds  of 
their  victim.  Then  the  immense  power  of  muscle 
is  displayed  in  the  concentrated  energy  ot  the 
spring ;  he  flies  through  the  air,  and  settles  on 
the  throat,  usually  throwing  his  own  body  over  the 
animal,  while  his  teeth  and  claws  are  fixed  on  the 
neck :  this  is  the  manner  in  which  the  spine  of 
an  animal  is  broken,  by  a  sudden  twist,  and  not 
simply  by  a  blow. 

The  blow  from  the  paw  is  nevertheless  im- 
mensely powerful,  and  at  one  stroke  will  rip  open 
a  bullock  like  a  knife  ;  but  the  after  effects  of  the 
wound  are  still  more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  force 
of  the  stroke.  There  is  a  peculiar  poison  in  the 
claw,  which  is  highly  dangerous.  This  is  caused 
by  the  putrid  flesh  which  they  are  constantly 
tearing,  and  which  is  apt  to  cause  gangrene  by 
inoculation. 

It  is  a  prevalent  idea  that  a  leopard  will  not  eat 
putrid  meat,  but  that  he  forsakes  a  rotten  carcase 
and  seeks  fresh  prey.  There  is  no  doubt  that  a 
natural  love  of  slaughter  induces  him  to  a  constant" 


I04  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  v. 

search  for  prey,  but  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
daintiness  of  his  appetite.  A  leopard  will  eat  any 
stinking  offal  that  offers,  and  I  once  had  a  melan- 
choly proof  of  this. 

I  was  returning  from  a  morning's  hunting ;  it 
was  a  bitter  day,  the  rain  was  pouring  in  torrents, 
the  wind  was  blowing  a  gale,  and  sweeping  the 
water  in  sheets  along  the  earth.  The  hounds  were 
following  at  my  horse's  heels,  with  their  ears  and 
sterns  down,  looking  very  miserable,  and  altogether 
it  was  a  day  when  man  and  beast  should  have 
been  at  home.  Presently  upon  turning  a  corner 
of  the  road,  I  saw  a  Malabar  boy  of  about  sixteen 
years  of  age,  squatted  shivering  by  the  road-side. 
His  only  covering  being  a  scanty  cloth  round  his 
loins,  I  told  him  to  get  up,  and  go  on,  or  he  would 
be  starved  with  cold.  He  said  something  in  reply, 
which  I  could  not  understand,  and,  repeating  my  first 
warning,  I  rode  on.  It  was  only  two  miles  to  my 
house,  but  upon  arrival  I  could  not  help  thinking 
that  the  boy  must  be  ill,  and  having  watched  the 
gate  for  some  time,  to  see  if  he  passed  by,  I  de- 
termined to  send  for  him. 

Accordingly  I  started  off  a  couple  of  men  with 
orders  to  carry  him  up  if  he  were  sick. 

They  returned  in  little  more  than  an  hour,  but 
the  poor  boy  was  dead !  sitting  crouched  in  the 
same  position   in  which   I   had  seen   him.     He  must 


CHAP.  V.  TRAPS.  105 

have  died  of  cold  and  starvation  ;  he  was  a  mere 
skeleton. 

I  sent  men  to  the  spot  and  had  him  buried  by  the 
road-side,  and  a  few  days  after  I  rode  down  to  see 
where  they  had  laid  him. 

A  quantity  of  fresh-turned  earth  lay  scattered 
about,  mingled  with  fragments  of  rags.  Bones 
much  gnawed  lay  here  and  there  on  the  road,  and 
a  putrid  skull  had  rolled  from  a  shapeless  hole 
among  a  confused  and  horrible  heap.  The  leopards 
had  scratched  him  up  and  then  devoured  him ; 
their  footprints  were  still  fresh  upon  the  damp 
ground. 

Both  leopards  and  chetahs  are  frequently  caught 
at  Newera  Ellia.  The  common  trap  is  nothing  more 
or  less  in  principle  than  an  old-fashioned  mouse-trap, 
with  a  falling  door  on  a  large  scale  ;  this  is  baited 
with  a  live  kid  or  sheep  ;  but  the  leopard  is 
naturally  so  wary  that  he  frequently  refuses  to  enter 
the  ominous-looking  building,  although  he  would  not 
hesitate  to  break  into  an  ordinary  shed.  The  best 
kind  of  snare  is  a  gun  set  with  a  line,  and  the  bait 
placed  so  that  the  line  must  be  touched  as  the 
animal  advances  towards  it.  This  is  certain  de- 
struction to  the  leopard  ;  but  it  is  extremely  dan- 
gerous, in  case  any  stranger  should  happen  to  be  in 
the  neighbourhood  who  might  inadvertently  touch 
the  cord. 


lot)  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON  chap.  v. 

Leopards  are  particularly  fond  of  stealing  dogs, 
and  have  frequently  taken  them  from  the  very 
verandahs  of  the  houses  at  Newera  Ellia  in  the  dusk 
of  the  evening.  Two  or  three  cases  have  occurred 
within  the  last  two  years  where  they  have  actually 
sprung  out  upon  dogs  who  have  been  accompany- 
ing their  owners  upon  the  high  road  in  broad 
daylight.  Their  destruction  should  be  encouraged 
by  a  Government  reward  of  one  pound  per  head, 
in  which  case  their  number  would  be  materially 
decreased  in  a  few  years. 

The  best  traps  for  chetahs  would  be  very  power- 
ful vermin-gins,  made  expressly  of  great  size  and 
strength,  so  as  to  lie  one  foot  square  when  open. 
Even  a  common  jackal-trap  would  hold  a  leopard, 
provided  the  chain  was  fastened  to  an  elastic  bough, 
so  that  it  would  yield  slightly  to  his  spring  ;  but  if  it 
were  secured  to  a  post,  or  to  anything  that  would 
enable  him  to  get  a  dead  pull  against  it,  something 
would  most  likely  give  way.  I  have  constantly  set 
these  gins  for  them,  but  always  without  success, 
as  some  other  kind  of  vermin  is  nearly  certain  to 
spring  the  trap  before  the  chetah's  arrival.  Among 
the  variety  of  small  animals  thus  caught  I  have 
frequently  taken  the  civet  cat.  This  is  a  very  pretty 
and  curious  creature,  about  forty  inches  long  from 
nose  to  tip  of  tail.  The  fur  is  ash-grey,  mottled  with 
black   spots,   and    the   tail    is   divided   by  numerous 


CHAP.  V.  MUSK    CA  TS.  107 

black  rings.  It  is  of  the  genus  Viverra^  and  is 
exceedingly  fierce  when  attacked.  It  preys  chiefly 
upon  fowls,  hares,  rats,  &c.  Its  great  peculiarity 
is  the  musk-bag  or  gland,  situated  nearly  under  the 
tail ;  this  is  a  projeicting  and  valved  gland,  which 
secretes  the  musk,  and  is  used  medicinally  by  the 
Cingalese,  on  which  account  it  is  valued  at  about  six 
shillings  a  pod.  The  smell  is  very  powerful,  and  in 
my  opinion  very  offensive  when  the  animal  is  alive  ; 
but  when  a  pod  of  musk  is  extracted  and  dried, 
it  has  nothing  more  than  the  well-known  scent  used 
by  perfumers.  The  latter  is  more  frequently  the 
production  of  the  musk  deer,  although  the  scent  is 
possessed  by  many  animals,  and  also  insects,  as  the 
musk  ox,  the  musk  deer,  the  civet  or  musk  cat,  the 
musk  rat,  the  musk  beetle,  &c. 

Of  these,  the  musk  rat  is  a  terrible  plague,  as  he 
perfumes  every  thing  that  he  passes  over,  rendering 
fruit,  cakes,  bread,  &c.,  perfectly  uneatable,  and 
(it  is  said)  even  flavouring  bottled  wine  by  running 
over  the  bottles.  This,  however,  requires  a  little 
explanation,  although  it  is  the  popular  belief  that 
he  taints  the  wine  through  the  glass.  The  fact  is,  he 
taints  the  cork,  and  the  flavour  of  musk  is  com- 
municated to  the  wine  during  the  process  of  un- 
corking the  bottle. 

There  are  a  great  variety  of  rats  in  Ceylon, 
from   the  tiny  shrew  to  the  large  '  bandicoot.'     This 


io8  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  v. 

is  a  most  destructive  creature  in  all  gardens,  par- 
ticularly among  potato  crops,  whole  rows  of  which 
he  digs  out  and  devours.  He  is  a  perfect  rat  in 
appearance  but  he  would  rather  astonish  one  of  out 
English  tom  cats  if  encountered  during  his  rambles  in 
search  of  rats,  as  the  *  bandicoot '  is  about  the  same 
size  as  the  cat. 

There  is  an  immense  variety  of  vermin  through- 
out Ceylon,  including  many  of  that  useful  species  the 
ichneumon,  who  in  courage  and  strength  stands  first 
of  his  tribe.  The  destruction  of  snakes  by  this  animal 
renders  him  particularly  respected,  and  no  person  ever 
thinks  of  destroying  oi>«.  No  matter  how  venomous 
the  snake,  the  ichneumon,  or  mongoose,  goes  straight 
at  him,  and  never  gives  up  the  contest  until  the  snake 
is  vanquished. 

It  is  the  popular  belief  that  the  mongoose  eats 
some  herb  which  has  the  property  of  counteracting 
the  effects  of  a  venomous  bite ;  but  tMs  has  been 
proved  to  be  a  fallacy,  as  pitched  battles  have  been 
witnessed  between  a  mongoose  and  the  most  poison- 
ous snakes  in  a  closed  room,  where  there  was  no 
possibility  of  his  procuring  the  antidote.  His  power 
consists  in  his  vigilance  and  activity  ;  he  avoids  the 
dart  of  the  snake,  and  adroitly  pins  him  by  the  back 
of  the  neck.  Here  he  maintains  his  hold,  in  spite 
of  the  contortions  and  convulsive  writhing  of  the 
snake,  until   he  succeeds  in  breaking  the  spine,     A 


CHAP.  V,  VERMIN  OF    CEYLON.  109 

mongose  is  about  three  feet  long  from  the  nose  to  the 
tip  of  the  tail,  and  is  of  the  same  genus  as  the  civet 
cat.  Unfortunately  he  does  not  confine  his  destruction 
to  vermin,  but  now  and  then  pays  a  visit  to  a  hen- 
roost, and  sometimes,  poor  fellow,  he  puts  his  foot  in 
the  traps. 

Ceylon  can  produce  an  enticing  catalogue  of 
attractions,  from  the  smallest  to  the  largest  of  the 
enemies  to  the  human  race.  Ticks,  bugs,  fleas,  taran- 
tulas, centipedes,  scorpions,  leeches,  snakes,  lizards, 
crocodiles,  &c., — of  which,  more  hereafter. 


no  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  VL 


CHAPTER  VI. 

'Game  Eyes'  for  Wild  Sports — Enjoyments  of  Wild  Life — Cruelty  oi 
Sports — Native  Hunters — Moormen  Traders — Their  wretched  Gums 
— Rifles  and  Smooth  Bores  — Heavy  Balls  and  Heavy  Metal — 
Beattie's  Rifles— Balls  and  Patches — Experiments  -  The  Double- 
Groove—  Power  of  Heavy  Metal — Curious  Shot  at  a  Bull  Elephant — 
African  and  Ceylon  Elephants— Structure  of  Skull — Lack  of  Trophies 
— Boar  Spears  and  Hunting  Knives — Bertram — A  Boar-hunt— Fatal 
Cut. 

In  travelling  through  Ceylon,  the  remark  is  often 
made  by  the  tourist  that  *  he  sees  so  little  game.' 
From  the  accounts  generally  written  of  its  birds  and 
beasts,  a  stranger  would  naturally  expect  to  come 
upon  them  at  every  turn,  instead  of  which,  it  is  a 
well-known  fact  that  lOO  miles  of  the  wildest  countr>' 
may  be  traversed  without  seeing  a  single  head  of 
game,  and  the  uninitiated  might  become  sceptical  as 
to  its  existence. 

This  is  accounted  for  by  the  immense  proportion 
of  forest  and  jungle,  compared  to  the  open  country. 
The  nature  of  wild  animals  is  to  seek  cover  at  sunrise, 
and  to  come  forth  at  sunset :  therefore  it  is  not  sur- 
prising that  so  few  are  casually  seen  by  the  passing 
traveller.     But  there   is  another  reason,   that  would 


CHAP.  VI.      'GAME  EVES*   FOR    WILD  SPORTS.  ni 

frequently  apply  even  in  an  open  country.  Unless 
the  traveller  is  well  accustomed  to  wild  sports,  he  has 
not  his  •  game  eye '  open ;  in  fact,  he  either  passes 
animals  without  observing  them,  or  they  see  him  and 
retreat  from  view  before  he  remarks  them. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  colour  of  most  animals 
is  adapted  by  nature  to  the  general  tint  of  the  country 
which  they  inhabit.  Thus,  having  no  contrast,  the 
animal  matches  with  surrounding  objects,  and  is 
difficult  to  be  distinguished. 

It  may  appear  ridiculous  to  say  that  an  elephant 
is  very  difficult  to  be  seen  ! — he  would  be  plain  enough 
certainly  on  the  snow,  or  on  a  bright  green  meadow 
in  England,  where  the  contrasted  colours  would  make 
him  at  once  a  striking  object ;  but  in  a  dense  jungle 
his  skin  matches  so  completely  with  the  dead  sticks 
and  dry  leaves,  and  his  legs  compare  so  well  with  the 
surrounding  tree-stems,  that  he  is  generally  unper- 
ceived  by  a  stranger,  even  when  pointed  out  to  him. 
I  have  actually  been  taking  aim  at  an  elephant  within 
seven  or  eight  paces,  when  he  has  been  perfectly  unseen 
by  a  friend  at  my  elbow,  who  was  peering  through  the 
bushes  in  quest  of  him. 

Quickness  of  eye  is  an  indispensable  quality  in 
sportsmen,  the  possession  of  which  constitutes  one  of 
their  little  vanities.  Nothing  is  so  conducive  to  the 
perfection  of  all  the  senses  as  the  constant  practice  in 
wild  and  dangerous  sports.     The  eye  and  the  ear  be- 

I 


112  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

come  habituated  to  watchfulness,  and  their  powers  are 
increased  in  the  same  proportion  as  the  muscles  of  the 
body  are  by  exercise.  Not  only  is  an  animal  imme- 
diately observed,  but  anything  out  of  the  common 
among  surrounding  objects  instantly  strikes  the  atten- 
tion ;  the  waving  of  one  bough  in  particular  when  all 
are  moving  in  the  breeze  ;  the  twitching  of  a  deer's 
ear  above  the  long  grass ;  the  slight  rustling  of  an 
animal  moving  in  the  jungle.  The  senses  are  regu- 
larly tuned  up,  and  the  limbs  are  in  the  same  condi- 
tion from  continual  exercise. 

There  is  a  pe^\iliar  delight  which  passes  all 
description,  in  feeling  thoroughly  well  strung,  men- 
tally and  physically,  with  a  good  rifle  in  your  hand, 
and  a  trusty  gun-bearer  behind  you  with  another; 
thus  stalking  quietly  through  a  fine  country,  on  the 
look-out  for  *  anything' — no  matter  what.  There  is  a 
delightful  feeling  of  calm  excitement,  if  I  might  so 
express  it,  which  nothing  but  wild  sports  will  give. 
There  is  no  time  when  a  man  knows  himself  so 
thoroughly  as  when  he  depends  upon  himself,  and 
this  forms  his  excitement.  With  a  thorough  confi- 
dence in  the  rifle,  and  a  bright  look-out,  he  stalks 
noiselessly  along  the  open  glades,  picking  out  the 
softest  places,  avoiding  the  loose  stones  or  anything 
that  would  betray  his  steps  ;  now  piercing  the  deep 
shadows  of  the  jungles,  now  scanning  the  distant 
plains,  leaving  neither  nook  nor  hollow  unsearched  by 


CHAP.  VI.  CRUELTY  OF  SPORTS. 


"3 


his  vigilant  gaze.  The  fresh  breakage  of  a  branch, 
the  barking  of  a  tree-stem,  the  lately  nibbled  grass, 
with  the  sap  still  oozing  from  the  delicate  blade,  the 
disturbed  surface  of  a  pool ;  everything  is  noted,  even 
to  the  alarmed  chatter  of  a  bird  :  nothing  is  passed 
unheeded  by  an  experienced  hunter. 

To  quiet  steady- going  people  in  England,  there  is 
an  idea  of  cruelty  inseparable  from  the  pursuit  of  large 
game  ;  people  talk  of  '  unoffending  elephants,'  *  poor 
buffaloes,'  '  pretty  deer,'  and  a  variety  of  nonsense 
about  things  which  they  cannot  possibly  understand. 
Besides,  the  very  person  who  abuses  wild  sports  on  the 
plea  of  cruelty  indulges  personally  in  conventional 
cruelties  which  are  positive  tortures.  His  appetite 
is  not  destroyed  by  the  knowledge  that  his  cook  has 
skinned  the  eels  alive,  or  that  the  lobsters  were 
plunged  into  boiling  water  to  be  cooked.  He  should 
remember  that  a  small  animal  has  the  same  feeling  as 
the  largest,  and  if  he  condemns  any  sport  as  cruel,  he 
must  condemn  all. 

There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  a  certain  amount 
of  cruelty  pervades  all  sports.  But  in  'wild  sports* 
the  animals  are  for  the  most  part  large,  dangerous, 
and  mischievous,  and  they  are  pursued  and  killed  in 
the  most  speedy,  and  therefore  in  the  most  merciful 
manner. 

The  Government  reward  for  the  destruction  of 
elephants  in   Ceylon   was   formerly  ten   shiHings  per 


114  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

tail  ;  it  is  now  reduced  to  seven  shillings  in  some  dis- 
tricts, and  is  altogether  abolished  in  others,  as  the 
number  killed  was  so  great  that  the  Government 
imagine  they  cannot  afford  the  annual  outlay. 

Although  the  number  of  these  animals  is  still  so 
immense  in  Ceylon,  they  must  nevertheless  have  been 
much  reduced  within  the  last  twenty  years.'  In  those 
days  the  country  was  overrun  with  them,  and  some 
idea  of  their  numbers  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact, 
that  three  first-rate  shots  in  three  days  bagged  104 
elephants.  This  was  told  to  me  by  one  of  the  parties 
concerned,  and  it  throws  our  modern  shooting  into 
the  shade.  In  those  days,  however,  the  elephants 
were  comparatively  undisturbed,  and  they  were  ac- 
cordingly more  easy  to  approach.  One  of  the  oldest 
native  hunters  has  assured  me  that  he  has  seen  the 
elephants,  when  attacked,  recklessly  expose  them- 
selves to  the  shots,  and  endeavour  to  raise  their  dead 
comrades.  This  was  at  a  time  when  guns  were  first 
heard  in  the  interior  of  Ceylon,  and  the  animals  had 
never  been  shot  at.  Since  that  time  the  decrease  in 
the  game  of  Ceylon  has  been  immense.  Every  year 
increases  the  number  of  guns  in  the  possession  of  the 
natives,  and  accordingly  diminishes  the  number  of 
animals.    From  the  change  which  has  come  over  many 

'  Since  this  was  written,  twenty  years  ago,  game  laws  have  been 
established  in  Ceylon,  as  both  the  elephants  and  other  animals  were 
rapidly  diminished  in  numl^rs. 


CHAP.  VI.  NATIVE  HUNTERS.  US 

parts  of  the  country  within  my  experience  of  the  last 
eight  years,  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  next  ten  years 
will  see  the  deer-shooting  in  Ceylon  completely 
spoiled,  and  the  elephants  very  much  reduced.  There 
are  now  very  few  herds  of  elephants  in  Ceylon,  that 
have  not  been  shot  at  by  either  Europeans  or  natives, 
and  it  is  a  common  occurrence  to  kill  elephants  with 
numerous  marks  of  old  bullet  wounds.  Thus  the 
animals  are  constantly  on  the  *  qui  vive!  and  at  the 
report  of  a  gun,  every  herd  within  hearing  starts  off 
fbr  the  densest  jungles. 

A  native  can  now  obtain  a  gun  for  thirty  shillings  ; 
and  with  two  shillings'  worth  of  ammunition,  he  starts 
on  a  hunting  trip.  Five  elephants,  at  a  reward  of 
seven  shillings  per  tail,  more  than  pay  the  prime  cost 
of  his  gun  ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  deer  and  other  game 
that  he  has  bagged  in  the  interim. 

Some,  although  very  few,  of  the  natives  are  good 
sportsmen  in  a  potting  way.  They  get  close  to  their 
game,  and  usually  bag  it.  This  is  a  terrible  system 
of  destruction,  and  the  more  so  as  it  is  unceasing. 
There  is  no  rest  for  the  animals  ;  in  the  daytime  they 
are  tracked  up,  and  on  moonlight  nights  the  drinking 
places  are  watched,  and  an  unremitting  warfare  is 
carried  on.  This  is  sweeping  both  deer  and  buffalo 
from  the  country,  and  must  eventually  almost  annihi- 
late them. 

The    Moormen    are    the  best   hunters,   and    they 


ii6  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

combine  sport  with  trade  in  such  a  manner,  that  *  all 
is  fish  that  comes  to  their  net'  Five  or  six  good 
hunters  start  with  twenty  or  thirty  bullocks  and  packs. 
Some  of  these  are  loaded  with  common  cloths,  &c., 
to  exchange  with  the  village  people  for  dried  venison  ; 
but  the  intention  in  taking  so  many  bullocks  is  to 
bring  home  the  spoils  of  their  hunting  trip — in  fact, 
to  '  carry  the  bag.'  They  take  about  a  dozen  leaves 
of  the  talipot  palm  to  form  a  tent,  and  at  night  time, 
the  packs  being  taken  off  the  bullocks,  are  piled  like 
a  pillar  in  the  centre,  and  the  talipot  leaves  are  formed 
in  a  circular  roof  above  them.  The  bullocks  are  then 
secured  round  the  tenf  to  long  poles,  which  are  thrown 
upon  the  ground  and  pinned  down  by  crooked  pegs. 

These  people  have  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the 
country,  and  are  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  habits 
of  the  animals  and  the  most  likely  spots  for  game. 
Buffaloes,  pigs  and  deer  are  indiscriminately  shot,  and 
the  flesh  being  cut  in  strips  from  the  bones  is  smoked 
over  a  green  wood  fire,  then  thoroughly  dried  in  the 
sun,  and  packed  up  for  sale.  The  deer  skins  are  also 
carefully  dried  and  rolled  up,  and  the  buffaloes'  and 
deer  horns  are  slung  to  the  packs. 

Many  castes  of  natives  will  not  eat  buffalo  meat, 
others  will  not  eat  pork,  but  all  are  particularly  fond 
of  venison.  This  the  Moorman  fully  understands,  and 
overcomes  all  scruples  by  a  general  mixture  of  the 
different  meats,  all  of  which  he  sells  as  venison.    Thus 


CHAP.  VI.  RIFLES.  117 

no  animal  is  spared  whose  flesh  can  be  passed  ofi"  for 
deer.  Fortunately  their  guns  are  so  common,  that 
they  will  not  shoot  with  accuracy  beyond  ten  or  fifteen 
paces,  or  there  would  be  no  game  left  within  a  few 
years.  How  these  common  guns  stand  the  heavy 
charges  of  powder  is  a  puzzle.  A  native  thinks 
nothing  of  putting  four  drachms  down  a  gun  that  I 
should  be  sorry  to  fire  off  at  any  rate.  It  is  this  heavy 
charge  which  enables  such  tools  to  kill  elephants 
which  would  otherwise  be  impossible.  These  natives 
look  upon  a  first-class  English  rifle  with  a  sort  of 
veneration.  Such  a  weapon  would  be  a  perfect 
fortune  to  one  of  these  people,  and  I  have  often  been 
astonished  that  robberies  of  fire-arms  are  not  more 
frequent. 

There  is  much  difference  of  opinion  among  Ceylon 
sportsmen  as  to  the  style  of  gun  for  elephant  shooting. 
But  there  is  one  point  upon  which  all  are  agreed,  that 
no  matter  what  the  size  of  the  bore  may  be,  all  the 
guns  should  be  alike,  and  the  battery  for  one  man 
should  consist  of  four  double  barrels.  The  confusion 
in  hurried  loading  where  guns  are  of  different  calibres 
is  beyond  conception. 

The  size  and  the  weight  of  guns  must  depend  as 
much  on  the  strength  and  build  of  a  man,  as  a  ship's 
armament  does  upon  her  tonnage ;  but  let  no  man 
speak  against  heavy  metal  for  heavy  game,  and  let  no 
man  decry  rifles,  and  uphold   smooth  bores   (which  is 


Ii8  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  VI. 

very  general),  but  rather  let  him  say '  /  cannot  carry 
a  heavy  gun!  and  '  /  cannot  shoot  with  a  rifled 

There  is  a  vast  diflference  between  shooting  at  a 
target  and  shooting  at  live  game.  Many  men  who  are 
capital  shots  at  target  practice  cannot  touch  a  deer, 
and  cannot  even  use  the  rifle  at  live  game,  but  actually 
knock  the  sights  out,  and  use  it  as  a  smooth  bore. 
This  is  not  the  fault  of  the  weapon,  it  is  the  fault  of 
the  man.  It  is  a  common  saying  in  Ceylon,  and  also 
in  India,  that  you  cannot  shoot  quick  enough  with  the 
rifle,  because  you  cannot  get  the  proper  sight  in  an 
instant. 

Whoever  makes  use  of  this  argument  must  certainly 
be  in  the  habit  of  very  random  shooting  with  a 
smooth  bore.  How  can  he  possibly  get  a  correct  aim 
with  'ball,'  even  out  of  a  smooth  bore,  without 
squinting  along  the  barrel  and  taking  the  muzzle  sight 
accurately.?  The  fact  is  that  many  persons  fire  so 
hastily  at  game,  that  they  take  no  sight  at  all,  as 
though  they  were  snipe  shooting  with  many  hundred 
grains  of  shot  in  the  charge.  This  will  never  do  for 
ball  practice ;  and  when  the  rifle  is  placed  in  such 
hands,  the  breech  sights  naturally  bother  the  eye 
which  is  not  accustomed  to  recognise  any  sight,  and 
while  the  person  is  vainly  endeavouring  to  get  his 
aim  correctly  upon  a  moving  object,  the  animal  is 
increasing  his  distance.  By  way  of  cutting  the 
Gordian  knot,  he  therefore  knocks  his  sight  out,  and 


CHAP.  VI.  RIFLES.  i!9 

accordingly  spoils  the  shooting  of  the  rifle  alto- 
gether. 

Put  a  rifle  in  the  hands  of  a  man  who  knows  how 
to  handle  it,  and  let  him  shoot  against  the  mutilated 
weapon  deprived  of  its  sight,  and  laugh  at  the  trial. 
Why  a  man  might  as  well  take  the  rudder  ofl"  a  ship 
because  he  could  not  steer,  and  then  abuse  the  vessel 
for  not  keeping  her  course  ! 

My  idea  of  guns  and  rifles  is  this,  that  the  former 
should  be  used  for  what  their  makers  intended  them, 
viz.,  shot  shooting,  and  that  no  ball  should  be  fired 
from  any  but  the  rifle.  Of  course  it  is  just  as  easy 
and  as  certain  to  kill  an  elephant  with  a  smooth  bore 
as  with  a  rifle,  as  he  is  seldom  fired  at  until  within  ten 
or  twelve  paces  ;  but  a  man,  when  armed  for  wild 
sport,  should  be  provided  with  a  weapon  which  is  fit 
for  any  kind  of  ball  shooting  at  any  reasonable  range, 
and  his  battery  should  be  perfect  for  the  distance  at 
which  he  is  supposed  to  aim. 

T  have  never  seen  any  rifles  which  combine  the 
requisites  for  Ceylon  shooting  to  such  a  degree  as 
my  four  double-barrelled  No.  lo,  which  I  had  made 
to  order.  Then  some  persons  exclaim  against  their 
weight,  which  is  fifteen  pounds  per  gun.  But  a  word 
upon  that  subject. 

No  person  who  understands  anything  about  a  rifle 
would  select  a  light  gun,  with  a  large  bore,  any  more 
than  he  would  have  a  heavy  carriage  for  a  small  horse. 


I20  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  vj 

If  the  man  objects  to  the  weight  of  the  rifle,  let  him 
content  himself  with  a  smaller  bore,  but  do  not  rob 
the  barrels  of  their  good  metal  for  the  sake  of  a  heavy 
ball.  The  more  metal  that  the  barrel  possesses  in 
proportion  to  the  diameter  of  the  bore  the  better  will 
the  rifle  carr}%  nine  times  out  of  ten.  Observe  the 
Swiss  rifles  for  accurate  target  practice  ;  again,  re- 
mark the  American  pea  rifle ;  in  both  the  thickness 
of  metal  is  immense  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the 
ball,  which  in  great  measure  accounts  for  the  precision 
with  which  they  carry. 

In  a  light  barrel  there  is  a  vibration  or  jar  at  the 
time  of  explosion,  which  takes  a  certain  effect  upon 
the  direction  of  the  ball.  This  is  necessarily  increased 
by  the  use  of  a  heavy  charge  of  powder  ;  and  it  is 
frequently  seen  that  a  rifle  which  carries  accurately 
enough  with  a  very  small  charge,  shoots  wide  of  the 
mark  when  the  charge  is  increased.  This  arises  from 
several  causes,  generally  from  the  jar  of  the  barrel  in 
the  stock,  proceeding  either  from  the  want  of  metal 
in  the  rifle  or  from  improper  workmanship  in  the 
fittings. 

To  avoid  this,  a  rifle  should  be  made  with  double 
bolts,  and  a  silver  plate  should  always  be  let  into  the 
stock  under  the  breech  ;  without  which  the  woodwork 
will  imperceptibly  wear,  and  the  barrels  will  become 
loose  in  the  stock,  and  jar  when  fired.* 

•  My  rifles  were  made  with  such  success  upon  this  plan,  by  Mr. 


JHAP.  VI.     HEAVY  BALLS  AND  HEAVY  METAL.  121 

There  is  another  reason  for  the  necessity  of  heavy 
barrels,  especially  for  two-grooved  rifles.  Unless  the 
grooves  be  tolerably  deep,  they  will  not  hold  the  ball 
when  a  heavy  charge  is  behind  it ;  it  quits  the 
grooves,  strips  its  belt,  and  flies  out  as  though  fired 
from  a  smooth  bore. 

A  large-bored  rifle  is  a  useless  incumbrance,  unless 
it  is  so  constructed  that  it  will  bear  a  proportionate 
charge  of  powder,  and  shoot  as  accurately  with  its 
proof  charge  as  with  a  single  drachm.  The  object  in 
having  a  large  bore  is  to  possess  an  extra  powerful 
weapon,  therefore  the  charge  of  powder  must  be  in- 
creased in  proportion  to  the  weight  of  the  ball,  or  the 
extra  power  is  not  obtained.  Nevertheless  most  of 
the  heavy  rifles  that  I  have  met  with  will  not  carry  an 
adequate  charge  of  powder,  and  they  are  accordingly 
no  more  powerful  than  guns  of  lighter  bore  which 
carry  their  proportionate  charge — the  powder  has 
more  than  its  fair  amount  of  work. 

Great  care  should  be  therefore  taken  in  making 
rifles  for  heavy  game.  There  cannot  be  a  better 
calibre  than  No.  10  ;  it  is  large  enough  for  any 
animal  in  the  world,  and  a  double-barrelled  rifle  of 
this  bore  without  a  ramrod  is  not  the  least  cumber- 

BeaUie,  of  205,  Regent  Street,  that  they  are  as  sound  and  unshaken  at 
the  present  moment  as  they  were  when  they  left  his  shop  ;  although 
they  have  been  tried  by  many  years  of  hard  work,  and  heavy  charges 
of  powder.  This  has  been  a  satisfactory  proof  of  first-class  workman- 
ship. 


122  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  vi 

some,  even  at  the  weight  of  fifteen  pounds.  A  ramrod 
is  not  required  to  be  in  the  gun  for  Ceylon  shooting, 
as  there  is  always  a  man  behind  with  a  spare  rifle, 
who  carries  a  loading  rod  ;  and  were  a  ramrod  fitted 
to  a  rifle  of  this  size  it  would  render  it  very  unhandy, 
and  would  also  weaken  the  stock. 

The  sights  should  be  of  platinum  at  the  muzzle, 
and  blue  steel  with  a  platinum  strip  with  a  broad  and 
deep  letter  V  cut  in  the  breech  sights.  In  a  gloomy 
forest  it  is  frequently  difficult  to  catch  the  muzzle 
sight,  unless  it  is  of  some  bright  metal,  such  as  silver 
or  platinum  ;  and  a  broad  cut  in  the  breech  sights,  if 
shaped  as  described,  allows  a  rapid  aim,  and  may  be 
taken  fine  or  coarse,  at  option. 

The  charge  of  powder  must  necessarily  depend 
upon  its  strength.  For  elephant  shooting,  I  always 
use  six  drachms  of  the  best  fine-grain  powder  for  the 
No.  lo  rifles,  and  four  drachms  as  the  minimum 
charge  for  deer  and  general  shooting ;  the  larger 
charge  is  then  unnecessary,  it  both  wastes  ammu- 
nition and  alarms  the  country  by  the  loudness  of  the 
report. 

There  are  several  minutiae  to  be  attended  to  in 
the  sports  of  Ceylon.  The  caps  should  always  be 
carried  in  a  shot  charger  (one  of  the  common  spring- 
lid  chargers)  and  never  be  kept  loose  in  the  pocket. 
The  heat  is  so  intense,  that  the  perspiration  soaks 


CHAP.  VI.  BALLS  AND  PATCHES.  t2;| 

through  everything,  and  so  injures  the  caps,  that  the 
very  best  will  frequently  miss  fire. 

The  powder  should  be  dried  for  a  few  minutes  in 
the  sun  before  it  is  put  into  the  flask,  and  it  should 
be  well  shaken  and  stirred  to  break  any  lumps  that 
may  be  in  it.  One  of  these,  by  obstructing  the 
passage  in  the  flask,  may  cause  much  trouble  in 
loading  quickly,  especially  when  a  wounded  elephant 
is  regaining  his  feet.  In  such  a  case  you  must  keep 
your  eyes  on  the  animal  while  loading,  and  should 
the  passage  of  the  powder  flask  be  stopped  by  a  lump, 
you  may  fancy  the  gun  is  loaded  when  in  fact  not  a 
grain  of  powder  has  entered  it. 

The  patches  should  be  of  silk,  soaked  in  a  mixture 
of  one  part  of  beeswax  and  two  of  fresh  hog's  lard, 
free  from  salt.  If  they  are  spread  with  pure  grease,  it 
melts  out  of  them  in  a  hot  country,  and  they  become 
dry.  Silk  is  better  than  linen,  as  it  is  not  so  liable  to 
be  cut  by  the  sharp  grooves  of  the  rifle.  It  is  also 
thinner  than  linen  or  calico,  and  the  ball  is  therefore 
more  easily  rammed  down. 

All  balls  should  be  made  of  pure  lead  without  any 
hardening  mixture.  It  was  formerly  the  fashion  to 
use  zinc  balls,  and  lead  with  a  mixture  of  tin,  &c.,  in 
elephant  shooting.  This  was  not  only  unnecessary, 
but  the  balls,  from  a  loss  of  weight  by  admixture 
with  lighter  metals,  lost  force  in  a  proportionate 
degree.     Lead  may  be  a  soft  metal,  but  it  is  much 


124  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

harder  than  any  animal's  skull,  and  if  a  tallow  candle 
can  be  shot  through  a  deal  board,  surely  a  leaden 
bullet  is  hard  enough  for  an  elephant's  head. 

I  once  tried  a  very  conclusive  experiment  on  the 
power  of  balls  of  various  metals  propelled  by  an  equal 
charge  of  powder. 

I  had  a  piece  of  wrought  iron  five-eighths  of  an 
inch  thick,  and  six  feet  high  by  two  in  breadth.  I 
fired  at  this  at  170  yards  with  my  two-grooved  four- 
ounce  rifle  with  a  reduced  charge  of  six  drachms  of 
powder,  and  a  ball  of  pure  lead.  It  bulged  the  iron 
like  a  piece  of  putty,  and  split  the  centre  of  the 
bulged  spot  into  a  star,  through  the  crevice  of  which 
I  could  pass  a  pen-blade. 

A  ball  composed  of  half  zinc  and  half  lead,  fired 
from  the  same  distance,  hardly  produced  a  percep- 
tible effect  upon  the  iron  target.  It  just  slightly 
indented  it. 

I  then  tried  a  ball  of  one-third  zinc  and  two- 
thirds  lead,  but  there  was  no  perceptible  difference  in 
the  effect. 

I  subsequently  tried  a  tin  ball,  and  again  a  zinc 
ball,  but  neither  of  them  produced  any  other  effect 
than  slightly  to  indent  the  iron. 

I  tried  all  these  experiments  again  at  fifty  yards* 
range,  with  the  same  advantage  in  favour  of  the  pure 
lead  ;  and  at  this  reduced  distance  a  double-barrelled 
No.    16  smooth    bore,  with   a   large   charge   of  four 


CHAP.  VI.  EXPERIMENTS.  ISS 

drachms  of  powder  and  a  lead  ball,  also  bulged 
and  split  the  iron  into  a  star.  This  gun,  with  a 
hard  tin  ball  and  the  same  charge  of  powder,  did  not 
produce  any  other  effect  than  an  almost  imperceptible 
indentation. 

If  a  person  wishes  to  harden  a  ball  for  any  pur- 
pose, it  should  be  done  by  an  admixture  of  quick- 
silver to  the  lead  while  the  latter  is  in  a  state  of 
fusion,  a  few  seconds  before  the  ball  is  cast.  The 
mixture  must  be  then  quickly  stirred  with  an  iron 
rod,  and  formed  into  the  moulds  without  loss  of  time, 
as  at  this  high  temperature  the  quicksilver  will  eva- 
porate. Quicksilver  is  heavier  than  lead,  and  makes 
a  ball  excessively  hard  ;  so  much  so  that  it  would 
very  soon  spoil  a  rifle.  Altogether,  the  hardening  of 
a  ball  has  been  shown  to  be  perfectly  unnecessary, 
and  the  latter  receipt  would  be  found  very  expensive. 

If  a  wonderful  effect  is  required,  the  steel-tipped 
conical  ball  should  be  used.  I  once  shot  through 
fourteen  elm  planks,  each  one  inch  thick,  with  a  four- 
ounce  steel-tipped  cone,  with  the  small  charge  (for 
that  rifle)  of  four  drachms  of  powder.  The  proper 
charge  for  that  gun  is  one-fourth  the  weight  of  the 
ball,  or  one  ounce  of  powder,  with  which  it  carries 
with  great  nicety  and  terrific  effect,  owing  to  its  great 
weight  of  metal  (twenty-one  pounds) ;  but  it  is  a  small 
piece  of  artillery,  which  tries  the  shoulder  very  severely 
in  the  recoil 


136  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

I  have  frequently  watched  a  party  of  soldiers 
winding  along  a  pass,  with  their  white  trousers,  red 
coats,  white  cross-belts,  and  brass  plates,  at  about 
400  yards,  and  thought  what  a  raking  that  ride  would 
give  a  body  of  troops  in  such  colours  for  a  mark.  A 
ball  of  that  weight,  with  an  ounce  of  powder,  would 
knock  down  six  or  eight  men  in  a  row.  A  dozen  of 
such  weapons  well  handled  on  board  a  ship  would 
create  an  astonishing  effect ;  but  for  most  purposes, 
the  weight  of  the  ammunition  is  a  serious  objection. 

There  is  a  great  difference  of  opinion  among 
sportsmen  regarding:  the  grooves  of  a  rifle ;  some 
prefer  the  two-groove  and  belted  ball ;  others  give 
preference  to  the  eight-  or  twelve-groove  and  smooth 
ball.     There  are  good  arguments  on  both  sides. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  two-groove  is  the 
hardest  hitter  and  the  longest  ranger ;  it  also  has  the 
advantage  of  not  fouling  so  quickly  as  the  many 
grooved.  On  the  other  hand,  the  many  grooved  is 
much  easier  to  load  ;  it  hits  quite  hard  enough  ;  and 
it  ranges  truly  much  farther  than  any  person  would 
think  ol  firing  at  an  animal.  Therefore,  for  sporting 
purposes,  the  only  advantage  which  the  two-groove 
possesses  is  the  keeping  clean ;  while  the  many  grooved 
claims  the  advantage  of  quick  loading. 

The  latter  is  by  far  the  more  important  recom- 
mendation, especially  as  the  many  grooved  can  be 
loaded  without  the  assistance  of  the  eye,  as  the  ball, 


CHAP.  VI.  THE   DOUBLE   GROOVE.  127 

being  smooth  and  round,  can  only  follow  the  right 
road  down  the  barrel.  The  two-grooved  rifle,  when 
new,  is  particularly  difficult  to  load,  as  the  ball  must 
be  tight  to  avoid  windage,  and  it  requires  some  nicety 
in  fitting  and  pressing  the  belt  of  the  bullet  into  the 
groove  in  such  a  manner,  that  it  shall  start  straight 
upon  the  pressure  of  the  loading  rod.  If  it  gives  a 
slight  heel  to  one  side  at  the  commencement,  it  is 
certain  to  stick  in  its  course,  and  it  then  occupies 
much  time  and  trouble  in  being  rammed  home. 
Neither  will  it  shoot  with  accuracy,  as,  from  the 
amount  of  ramming  to  get  the  ball  to  its  place,  it  has 
become  so  misshapen,  that  it  is  a  mere  lump  of  lead, 
and  no  longer  a  rifle-ball. 

My  double-barrelled  No.  10  rifles  are  two-grooved  ; 
and  they  gave  much  trouble  during  the  first  two 
years.  I  have  sometimes  given  my  whole  weight 
to  the  loading  rod,  when  a  ball  stuck  half-way 
down  the  barrel,  while  wounded  elephants  lay 
struggling  upon  the  ground  expected  every  moment 
to  rise.  From  constant  use  and  repeated  clean- 
ing, they  have  now  become  so  perfect,  that  they 
load  with  the  greatest  ease ;  but  guns  of  their 
age  are  not  fair  samples  of  their  class,  and  for 
rifles  in  general  for  sporting  purposes,  I  should  give 
a  decided  preference  to  the  many  grooved.  I  have 
a  long  two-ounce  rifle  of  the  latter  class,  which 
1  have  shot  with  for  many  years,  and  it  certainly  is  not 

K 


128  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

SO  hard  a  hitter  as  the  two-grooved  No.  lo's  ;  but  it 
hits  uncommonly  hard  too  ;  and  if  I  do  not  bag  with 
it  it  is  always  my  fault,  and  no  blame  can  be  attached 
to  the  rifle. 

For  heavy  game  shooting,  I  do  not  think  there 
can  be  a  much  fairer  standard  for  the  charge  of 
powder  than  one-fifth  the  weight  of  the  ball  for  all 
bores.  Some  persons  do  not  use  so  much  as  this  ; 
but  I  am  always  an  advocate  for  strong  guns  and 
plenty  of  powder.' 

A  heavy  charge  will  reach  the  brain  of  an  elephant, 
no  matter  in  what  position  he  may  stand,  provided  a 
proper  angle  is  taken  for  attaining  it.  A  trifling 
amount  of  powder  is  sufficient,  if  the  elephant  offers 
a  front  .shot,  or  the  temple  at  right  angles,  or  the  ear 
shot  ;  but  if  a  man  pretend  to  a  knowledge  of  ele- 
phant shooting,  he  should  think  of  nothing  but  the 
brain,  and  his  acquaintance  with  the  anatomy  of  the 
elephant's  head  should  be  such,  that  he  can  direct  a 
straight  line  to  this  mark  from  any  position.    He  then 


'  When  this  was  written,  twenty  years  ago,  no  one  but  myself  ad- 
vocated heavy  charges  of  powder  for  rifles.  It  is  curious  to  observe 
the  advance  made  in  our  knowledge  of  rifle-shooting  within  that  com- 
paratively short  interval.  The  world  has  now  discovered  the  value  ot 
heavy  charges  ;  and  the  small-bore  of  the  present  day  is  loaded  with  as 
much  as  five  or  six  drachms.  After  great  experience  through  many 
years  in  Africa  since  this  book  was  written,  I  adhere  to  my  original 
opinion,  that  a  No.  lo  rifle  is  the  best  size  for  general  hunting  among 
heavy  and  dangerous  game.  This  should  carry  ten  drachms  of  No.  6 
grain  jv,>wikT, 


CHAP.  VI.  ON  THE  look-out.  129 

requires  a  rifle  of  such  power  that  the  ball  will  crash 
through  every  obstacle  along  the  course  directed.  To 
efiect  this  he  must  not  be  stingy  of  the  powder. 

I  have  frequently  killed  elephants  by  curious  shots 
with  the  heavy  rifles  in  this  manner  ;  but  I  once  killed 
a  bull  elephant  by  one  shot  in  the  upper  jaw^  which 
will  exemplify  the  advantage  of  a  powerful  rifle  in 
taking  the  angle  for  the  brain. 

My  friend  Palliser  and  I  were  out  shooting  on  the 
day  previous,  and  we  had  spent  some  hours  in  vainly 
endeavouring  to  track  up  a  single  bull  elephant.  I 
forget  what  we  bagged,  but  I  recollect  well  that  we 
were  unlucky  in  finding  our  legitimate  game.  That 
night  at  dinner,  we  heard  elephants  roaring  in  the 
Yall6  river,  upon  the  banks  of  which  our  tent  was 
pitched  in  fine  open  forest.  For  about  an  hour  the 
roaring  was  continued,  apparently  on  both  sides  the 
river,  and  we  immediately  surmised  that  our  gentle- 
man friend  on  our  side  of  the  stream  was  answering 
the  call  of  the  ladies  of  some  herd  on  the  opposite 
bank.  We  went  to  sleep  with  the  intention  of  waking 
at  dawn  of  day,  and  then  strolling  quietly  along  with 
only  two  gun-bearers  each,  who  were  to  carry  my  four 
double  No.  lo's,  while  we  each  carried  a  single  barrel 
for  deer. 

The  earliest  grey  tint  of  morning  saw  us  dressed 
and  ready ;  the  rifles  loaded  ;  a  preliminary  cup  of 
hot  chocolate  swallowed,  and  we  were  off  while  the 

K  2 


I30  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

forest  was  still  gloomy  ;  the  night  seemed   to  hang 
about  it,  although  the  sky  was  rapidly  clearing  above. 

A  noble  piece  of  Nature's  handiwork  is  that  same 
Yalle  forest.  The  river  flows  sluggishly  through  its 
centre  in  a  breadth  of  perhaps  ninety  yards,  and  the 
immense  forest  trees  extend  their  giant  arms  from  the 
high  banks  above  the  stream,  throwing  dark  shadows 
upon  its  surface,  enlivened  by  the  silvery  glitter  of 
the  fish  as  they  dart  against  the  current.  Little  glades 
of  rank  grass  occasionally  break  the  monotony  of  the 
dark  forest ;  sandy  gullies,  in  deep  beds  formed  by  the 
torrents  of  the  rainy  season,  cut  through  the  crumbling 
soil,  and  drain  towards  the  river.  Thick  brushwood 
now  and  then  forms  an  opposing  barrier,  but  generally 
the  forest  is  beautifully  open,  consisting  of  towering 
trees,  the  leviathans  of  their  race,  sheltering  the 
scanty  saplings  which  had  sprung  from  their  fallen 
seeds.  For  a  few  hundred  yards  on  either  side  of  the 
river,  the  forest  extends  in  a  ribbon-like  strip  of  lofty 
vegetation,  in  the  surrounding  sea  of  low  scrubby 
jungle.  The  animals  leave  the  low  jungle  at  night, 
passing  through  the  forest  on  their  way  to  the 
river  to  bathe  and  drink  ;  they  return  to  the  low  and 
thick  bush  at  break  of  day,  and  we  hoped  to  meet 
some  of  the  satiated  elephants  on  their  way  to  their 
dense  habitations. 

We  almost  made  sure  of    finding  our  friend  of 
yesterday's  track,  and  we  accordingly  kept  close  to 


CURIOUS^  SHOT  AT  A  BULL  ELEPHANT 


I 


CHAP.  VI.         CURIOUS  SH07'  AT  AN  ELEPHANT.  131 

the  edge  of  the  river,  keeping  a  sharp  eye  for  foot- 
prints upon  the  sandy  bed  below. 

We  had  strolled  for  about  a  mile  along  the  high 
bank  of  the  river,  without  seeing  a  sign  of  an  elephant, 
when  I  presently  heard  a  rustle  in  the  branches 
before  me,  and  upon  looking  up,  I  saw  a  lot  of  mon- 
keys gamboling  in  the  trees.  I  was  carrying  my 
long  two-ounce  rifle,  and  I  was  passing  beneath  the 
monkey-covered  boughs,  when  I  suddenly  observed 
a  young  tree  of  the  thickness  of  a  man's  thigh, 
shaking  violently  just  before  me. 

It  happened  that  the  jungle  was  a  little  thicker  in 
this  spot,  and  at  the  same  moment  that  I  observed 
the  tree  shaking  almost  over  me,  I  passed  the  immense 
stem  of  one  of  those  smooth  barked  trees  which  grow 
to  such  an  enormous  size  on  the  banks  of  rivers.  At 
the  same  moment  that  I  passed  it,  I  was  almost 
under  the  trunk  of  a  single  bull  elephant,  who  was 
barking  the  stem  with  his  tushes  '  as  high  as  he  could 
reach,  with  his  head  thrown  back.  I  saw  in  an 
instant  that  the  only  road  to  his  brain  lay  through 
his  upper  jaw,  in  the  position  in  which  he  was  stand- 
ing ;  and  knowing  that  he  would  discover  me  in 
another  moment,  I  took  the  direct  line  for  his  brain, 
and  fired  upwards  through  his  jaw.     He  fell   stone 

'  There  are  very  few  elephants  with  regular  tusks  m  Ceylon,  and 
their  v«ry  small  ivories  are  called  '  tushes.' 


132  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

dead,  witli  the  silk  patch  of  the  rifle  smoking  in  the 
wound. 

Now  in  this  position  no  light  gun  could  have 
killed  that  elephant ;  the  ball  had  to  pass  through  the 
roots  of  the  upper  grinders,  and  keep  its  course 
through  hard  bones  and  tough  membranes  for  about 
two  feet  before  it  could  reach  the  brain  ;  but  the  line 
was  all  right,  and  the  heavy  metal  and  charge  of 
powder  kept  the  ball  to  its  work. 

This  is  the  power  which  every  elephant  gun 
should  possess  :  it  should  have  an  elephant's  head 
under  complete  command  in  every  attitude. 

There  is  another  advantage  in  heavy  metal ;  a 
heavy  ball  will  frequently  stun  a  vicious  elephant 
when  in  full  charge,  when  a  light  bullet  would  not 
check  him ;  his  quietus  is  then  soon  arranged  by 
another  barrel.  Some  persons,  however,  place  too 
much  confidence  in  the  weight  of  the  metal,  and 
forget  that  it  is  necessary  to  hold  a  powerful  rifle  as 
straight  as  the  smallest  gun.  It  is  then  very  common 
during  a  chase  of  a  herd  to  see  the  elephants  falling 
tolerably  well  to  the  shots ;  but  on  a  return  for  their 
tails,  it  is  found  that  the  stunned  brutes  have 
recovered  and  decamped. 

Conical  balls  should  never  be  used  for  elephants  ; 
they  are  more  apt  to  glance,  and  the  concussion  is 
not  so  great  as  that  produced  by  a  round  ball.  In 
fact,  there  is  nothing  more  perfect  for  sporting  pur- 


CHAP.  VI.  STRUCTURE   OP  SKULL.  133 

poses  than  a  good  rifle  from  a  first-rate  maker,  with  a 
plain  ball  of  from  No.  12  to  No.  10.  There  can  be 
no  improvement  upon  such  a  weapon  for  the  range 
generally  required  by  a  good  shot. 

I  am  very  confident  that  the  African  elephant 
would  be  killed  by  the  brain  shot  by  Ceylon  sports- 
men with  as  much  ease  as  the  Indian  species.  The 
shape  of  the  head  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with 
the  shooting,  provided  the  guns  are  powerful,  and  the 
hunter  knows  where  the  brain  lies.' 

When  I  arrived  in  Ceylon,  one  of  my  first  visits 
was  to  the  museum  at  Colombo.  Here  I  carefully 
observed  the  transverse  sections  of  an  elephant's 
skull,  until  perfectly  acquainted  with  its  details. 
From  the  museum  I  went  straight  to  the  elephant 
stables,  and  thoroughly  examined  the  head  of  the 
living  animal ;  comparing  it  in  my  own  mind  with 
the  skull,  until  I  was  thoroughly  certain  of  the  posi- 
tion of  the  brain,  and  the  possibility  of  reaching  it 
from  any  position. 

An  African  sportsman  would  be  a  long  time  in 

•  I  have  since  proved  that  I  was  partly  in  error  when  I  expressed 
this  opinion.  The  skull  of  the  African  elephant  is  totally  different  to 
that  of  the  Indian  species.  The  forehead  or  front  shot,  which  is  so  fatal 
in  Ceylon,  is  seldom  effective  against  an  African  elephant.  This  much 
enhances  the  danger,  as  the  sportsman  is  almost  helpless  should  the 
elephant  charge.  Although  the  front  shot  is  unsatisfactory,  I  have 
killed  African  elephants  by  a  shot  behind  the  ear,  or  at  right  angles 
through  the  temples,  with  the  same  immediate  effect  as  produced  on 
the  Indian  species. 


134  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

killing  a  Ceylon  elephant,  if  he  fired  at  the  long 
range  described  by  most  writers ;  in  fact,  he  would 
not  kill  one  out  of  twenty  that  he  fired  at  in  such 
a  jungle-covered  country  as  Ceylon,  where  in  most 
cases  everything  depends  upon  the  success  of  the  first 
barrel. 

It  is  the  fashion  in  Ceylon  to  get  as  close  as 
possible  to  an  elephant  before  firing ;  this  is  usually 
at  about  ten  yards'  distance,  at  which  range  nearly 
every  shot  must  be  fatal.  In  Africa,  according  to 
all  accounts,  elephants  are  fired  at  at  thirty,  forty, 
and  even  at  sixty  yards.  It  is  no  wonder,  therefore, 
that  African  sportsmen  take  the  shoulder  shot,  as  the 
hitting  of  the  brain  would  be  a  most  difficult  feat 
at  such  a  distance,  seeing  that  the  even  and  dusky 
colour  of  an  elephant's  head  offers  no  peculiar  mark 
for  a  delicate  aim. 

The  first  thing  that  a  good  sportsman  considers 
with  every  animal  is  the  point  at  which  to  aim  so  as 
to  bag  him  as  speedily  as  possible.  It  is  well  known 
that  all  animals,  from  the  smallest  to  the  largest,  sink 
into  instant  death  when  shot  through  the  brain ;  and 
that  a  wound  through  the  lungs  or  heart  is  equally 
fatal,  though  not  so  instantaneous.  These  are  accord- 
ingly the  points  for  aim,  the  biain  from  its  small  size 
being  the  most  difficult  to  hit.  Nevertheless  in  a 
jungle  country  elephants  must  be  shot  through  the 
brain,  otherwise  they  would  not  be  bagged,  as  they 


CHAP.  VI.  7VSK8  AND  NO    TUSKS.  135 

would  retreat  with  a  mortal  wound  into  such  dense 
jungle  that  no  man  could  follow.  Seeing  how  easily 
they  are  dropped  by  the  brain  shot,  if  approached 
sufficiently  near  to  ensure  the  correctness  of  the 
aim,  no  one  would  ever  think  of  firing  at  the 
shoulder  who  had  been  accustomed  to  aim  at  the 
head. 

A  Ceylon  sportsman  arriving  in  Africa  would 
naturally  examine  the  skull  of  the  African  elephant, 
and  when  once  certain  of  the  position  of  the  brain, 
he  would  require  no  further  information.  Leave  him 
alone  for  hitting  it  if  he  knew  where  it  was. 

What  a  sight  for  a  Ceylon  elephant  hunter  would 
be  the  first  view  of  a  herd  of  African  elephants — all 
tuskers  !  In  Ceylon  a  '  tusker '  is  a  kind  of  spectre, 
to  be  talked  of  by  a  few  who  have  had  the  good  luck 
to  see  one.  And  when  he  is  seen  by  a  good  sports- 
man, it  is  an  evil  hour  for  him, — he  is  followed  till  he 
gives  up  his  tusks. 

It  is  a  singular  thing  that  Ceylon  is  the  only  part 
of  the  world  where  the  male  elephant  has  no  tusks ; 
they  have  miserable  little  grubbers  projecting  two  or 
three  inches  from  the  upper  jaw,  and  inclining  down- 
wards. Thus  a  man  may  kill  some  hundred  elephants 
without  having  a  pair  of  tusks  in  his  possession.  The 
largest  that  I  have  seen  in  Ceylon  were  about  six  feet 
long,  and  five  inches  in  diameter  in  the  thickest  part. 
These  would  be  considered  rather  below  the  average 


136  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

in    Africa,    although   in    Ceylon   they   were   thought 
magnificent.* 

Nothing  produces  either  ivory  or  horn  in  fine 
specimens  throughout  Ceylon.  Although  some  of  the 
buffaloes  have  tolerably  fine  heads,  they  will  not  bear 
a  comparison  with  those  of  other  countries.  The 
horns  of  the  native  cattle  are  not  above  four  inches  in 
length.  The  elk  and  the  spotted  deer's  antlers  are 
small  compared  with  deer  of  their  size  on  the  conti- 
nent of  India.  This  is  the  more  singular,  as  it  is 
evident  from  the  geological  formation  that  at  some 
remote  period  Ceylon  was  not  an  island,  but  formed  a 
portion  of  the  main  land,  from  which  it  is  now  only 
separated  by  a  shallow  and  rocky  channel  of  some 
few  miles.  In  India  the  bull  elephants  have  tusks, 
and  the  cattle  and  buffaloes  have  very  large  horns. 
My  opinion  is  that  there  are  elements  wanting  in  the 
Ceylon  pasturage  (which  is  generally  poor)  for  the 
formation  of  both  horn  and  ivory.  Thus  many  years 
of  hunting  and  shooting  are  rewarded  by  few  trophies 
of  the  chase.  So  great  is  the  natural  inactivity  of  the 
natives,  that  no  one  understands  the  preparation  of 
the  skins ;  thus  all  the  elk  and  deer  hides  are  simply 
dried  in  the  sun,  and  the  hair  soon  rots  and  falls  off. 
In  India  the  skin  of  the  Samber  deer  (the  Ceylon  elk) 

•  These,  I  have  since  discovered,  would  be  rather  above  the  average 
of  African  bull  elephants'  tusks,  although  they  are  often  found  of  much 
larger  size. 


CHAP.  VI.  LACK   OF  TROPHIES,  137 

is  prized  above  all  others,  and  is  manufactured  into 
gaiters,  belts,  pouches,  coats,  breeches,  &c. ;  but  in 
Ceylon  these  things  are  entirely  neglected  by  the 
miserable  and  indolent  population,  whose  whole 
thoughts  are  concentrated  upon  their  daily  bread,  or 
rather  their  curry  and  rice. 

At  Newera  Ellia  the  immense  number  \ji  elk  that 
I  have  killed  would  have  formed  a  valuable  collec- 
tion of  skins,  had  they  been  properly  prepared,  in- 
stead of  which  the  hair  has  been  singed  from  them, 
and  they  have  been  boiled  up  for  dogs'  meat. 

Boars'  hides  have  shared  the  same  fate.  These 
are  far  thicker  than  those  of  the  tame  species,  and 
should  make  excellent  saddles.  So  tough  are  they 
upon  the  live  animal,  that  it  requires  a  very  sharp- 
pointed  knife  to  penetrate  them,  and  too  much  care 
cannot  be  bestowed  upon  the  manufacture  of  a  blade 
for  this  style  of  hunting,  as  the  boar  is  one  of  the 
fiercest  and  most  dangerous  of  animals. 

Living  in  the  thickest  jungles,  he  rambles  out  at 
night  in  search  of  roots,  fruits,  large  earthworms,  or 
anything  else  that  he  can  find,  being,  like  his  domesti- 
cated brethren,  omnivorous.  He  is  a  terrible  enemy  to 
the  pack,  and  has  cost  me  several  good  dogs  within  the 
last  few  years.  Without  first-rate  seizers  it  would  be 
impossible  to  kill  him  with  the  knife  without  being 
ripped,  as  he  invariably  turns  to  bay,  after  a  short 
run,  in  the  thickest  jungle  he  can  find.     There  is  no 


138  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

doubt  that  a  good  stout  boar  spear,  with  a  broad 
blade  and  strong  handle,  is  the  proper  weapon  for 
the  attack  ;  but  a  spear  is  very  unhandy,  and  even 
dangerous,  to  carry  in  such  a  hilly  country  as  the 
neighbourhood  of  Newera  Ellia.  The  forests  are  full 
of  steep  ravines,  and  such  tangled  underwood,  that 
following  the  hounds  is  always  an  arduous  task,  but 
with  a  spear  in  the  hand  it  is  still  more  difficult,  and 
the  point  is  almost  certain  to  get  injured  by  striking 
against  the  numerous  rocks,  in  which  case  it  is  per- 
fectly useless,  when  perhaps  most  required.  I  never 
carry  a  spear  for  these  reasons,  but  am  content  with 
the  knife,  as  in  my  opinion,  any  animal  that  can 
beat  off  good  hounds  and  their  master  deserves  to 
escape. 

My  knife  was  made  to  my  own  pattern  by  Paget 
of  Piccadilly.  The  blade  is  one  foot  in  length,  and 
two  inches  broad  in  the  widest  part,  and  slightly  con- 
cave in  the  middle.  The  steel  is  of  the  most  exqui- 
site quality,  and  the  entire  knife  weighs  three  pounds. 
The  peculiar  shape,  added  to  the  weight  of  the  blade, 
gives  an  extraordinary  force  to  a  blow  ;  being  double 
edged  for  three  inches  from  the  point,  it  inflicts  a  fear- 
ful wound :  altogether  it  is  a  very  desperate  weapon, 
and  admirably  adapted  for  this  kind  of  sport. 

A  feat  is  frequently  performed  by  the  Nepaulese 
by  cutting  off  a  buffalo's  head  at  one  blow  of  a  sabre 
or  tulwal.     The  blade   of  this   weapon    is   peculiar, 


CHAP.  VI.  BERTRAAf.  139 

being  concave,  and  the  extremity  is  far  ht,'avier  than 
the  hilt  ;  the  animal's  neck  is  tied  down  to  a  post, 
so  as  to  produce  a  tension  on  the  muscles,  without 
which,  the  blow,  however  great,  would  have  a  com- 
paratively small  effect. 

The  accounts  of  this  feat  always  appeared  very 
marvellous  to  my  mind,  until  1  one  day  uninten- 
tionally performed  something  similar  on  a  small  scale 
with  the  hunting  knife. 

I  was  out  hunting  in  the  Elk  Plains,  and  having 
drawn  several  jungles  blank,  I  ascended  the  moun- 
tains which  wall  in  the  western  side  of  the  patinas 
^grass  plains)  making  sure  of  finding  an  elk  near  the 
summit.  It  was  a  lovely  day,  perfectly  calm  and 
cloudless  ;  in  which  weather  the  elk,  especially  the 
large  bucks,  are  in  the  habit  of  lying  high  up  the 
mountains. 

I  had  nine  couple  of  hounds  out,  among  which 
were  some  splendid  seizers,  '  Bertram,'  '  Killbuck,* 
*  Hecate,'  *  Bran,'  '  Lucifer,'  and  '  Lena,'  the  first  tliree 
being  the  progeny  of  the  departed  hero,  old  *  Smut,' 
who  had  been  killed  by  a  boar  a  short  time  before. 
They  were  then  just  twelve  months  old,  and  '  Ber- 
tram '  stood  twenty-eight  and  a  half  inches  high  at 
the  shoulder.  To  him  his  sire's  valour  had  descended 
untarnished,  and  for  a  dog  of  his  young  age,  he  was 
the  most  courageous  that  I  have  ever  seen.  In  ap- 
pearance he  was  a  tall  Manilla  bloodhound,  with  the 


MO  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

Strength  of  a  young  Hon  ;  very  affectionate  in  disposi- 
tion, and  a  general  favourite,  having  won  golden 
opinions  in  every  contest.  Whenever  a  big  buck 
was  at  bay,  and  punishing  the  leading  hounds,  he  was 
the  first  to  get  his  hold  ;  no  matter  how  great  the 
danger,  he  never  waited,  but  recklessly  dashed  in. 
*  There  goes  Bertram  !  Look  at  Bertram !  Well 
done,  Bertram  ! ' — were  the  constant  exclamations  of 
a  crowd  of  excited  spectators  when  a  powerful  buck 
was  brought  to  bay.  He  was  a  wonderful  dog,  but  I 
prophesied  an  early  grave  for  him,  as  no  hound  in  the 
world  could  long  escape  death  that  rushed  so  reck- 
lessly upon  his  dangerous  game.*  His  sister,  '  Hecate,' 
was  more  careful,  and  she  is  alive  at  this  moment, 
and  a  capital  seizer  of  great  strength,  combined  with 
speed,  having  derived  the  latter  from  her  dam,  *  Lena,' 
an  Australian  greyhound,  than  whom  a  better  or 
truer  bitch  never  lived.  '  Old  Bran,'  and  his  beautiful 
son,  *  Lucifer,'  were  fine  specimens  of  greyhound  and 
deerhound,  and  as  good  as  gold. 

There  was  not  a  single  elk  track  the  whole  of  the 
way  up  the  mountain,  and  upon  arriving  at  the  top,  I 
gave  up  all  hope  of  finding  for  that  day,  and  I  en- 
joyed the  beautiful  view  over  the  vast  valley  of  forest, 
which  lay  below,  spangled  with  green  plains,  and 
bounded  by  the  towering  summit  of  Adam's  Peak,  at 

'  Speared  through  the  Ixxiy  by  the  horns  of  a  buck  elk,  and  killed, 
ihortly  after  this  was  written 


\ 


CHAP.  VI.  A   BOAR  HUNT.  141 

about  twenty-five  miles  distance.  Tlie  coffee  estates 
of  Dimboola  lay  far  beneath  upon  the  right,  and  the 
high  mountains  of  Kirigallapotta,  and  Totapella 
bounded  the  view  upon  the  left. 

There  is  a  good  path  along  the  narrow  ridge,  on 
the  summit  of  the  Elk  Plain  hills,  which  has  been 
made  by  elephants.  This  runs  along  the  very  top  of 
the  knife-like  ridge,  commanding  a  view  of  the  whole 
country  to  the  right  and  left.  The  range  is  terminated 
abruptly  by  a  high  peak,  which  descends  in  a  sheer 
precipice  at  the  extremity. 

I  strolled  along  the  elephant  path,  intending  to 
gain  the  extreme  end  of  the  range  for  the  sake  of  the 
view,  when  I  suddenly  came  upon  the  track  of  a 
'  boar,'  in  the  middle  of  the  path.  It  was  perfectly 
fresh,  as  were  also  the  ploughings  in  the  ground  close 
by,  and  the  water  of  a  small  pool  was  still  curling 
with  clouds  of  mud,  showing  most  plainly  that  he  had 
been  disturbed  from  his  wallowing  by  my  noise  in 
ascending  the  mountain  side. 

There  was  no  avoiding  the  find  ;  and  away  went 
'  Bluebeard,'  *  Ploughboy,'  '  Gaylass,'  and  all  the  lead- 
ing hounds,  followed  by  the  whole  pack,  in  full  chorus 
straight  along  the  path  at  top  speed.  Presently  they 
turned  sharp  to  the  left  into  the  thick  jungle,  dashing 
down  the  hill  side  as  though  ofl  to  the  Elk  Plains 
below.  At  this  pace  I  knew  the  hunt  would  not  last 
long,  and  from  my  elevated  stand  I  waited  impatiently 


142  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vi. 

for  the  first  sounds  of  the  bay.  Round  they  turned 
again,  up  the  steep  hill  side,  and  the  music  slackened 
a  little,  as  the  hounds  had  enough  to  do  in  bursting 
through  the  tangled  bamboo  upon  the  hill. 

Presently  I  heard  the  rush  of  the  boar  in  the 
jungle,  coming  straight  up  the  hill  towards  the  spot 
where  I  was  standing ;  and,  fearing  that  he  might  top 
the  ridge  and  make  down  the  other  side  towards 
Dimboola,  I  gave  him  a  halloo  to  head  him  back. 
Hark,  for-r-rard  to  him  !  yoick  !  yo-o-ick  !  to  him  ! 

Such  a  yell,  right  in  his  road,  astonished  him, 
and,  as  I  expected,  he  headed  sharp  back.  Up  came 
the  pack,  going  like  race  horses,  and  wheeling  ofif 
where  the  game  had  turned,  a  few  seconds  running 
along  the  side  of  the  mountain,  and  then,  such  a  burst 
of  music  !  such  a  bay  !  The  boar  had  turned  sharp 
round,  and  had  met  the  hounds  on  a  level  platform 
on  the  top  of  a  ridge. 

*  Lucifer '  never  leaves  my  side  until  we  are  close 
up  to  the  bay  ;  and  plunging  and  tearing  through  the 
bamboo  grass  and  tangled  nillho  for  a  few  hundred 
yards,  I  at  length  approached  the  spot,  and  I  heard 
Lord  Bacon  grunting  and  roaring  loud  above  the  din 
of  the  hounds. 

Bertram  has  him  for  a  guinea !  Hold  him,  good 
lad  !  and  away  dashed  *  Lucifer '  from  my  side  at  the 
halloo. 

In  another  moment  1  was  close  up,  and  with  my 


CHAP.  VI.  A  BOAR  HUNT.  143 

knife  ready  I  broke  through  the  dense  jungle,  and 
was  immediately  in  the  open  space  cleared  by  the 
struggles  of  the  boar  and  pack.  Unluckily  I  had 
appeared  full  in  the  boar's  front,  and  though  five 
or  six  of  the  large  seizers  had  got  their  holds,  he 
made  a  sudden  charge  at  me  that  shook  them  all  off, 
except  *  Bertram  '  and  •  Lena.' 

It  was  the  work  of  an  instant,  as  I  jumped 
quickly  on  one  side,  and  instinctively  made  a  down- 
ward cut  at  him  in  passing.  He  fell  all  of  a  heap,  to 
the  complete  astonishment  of  myself  and  the  furious 
pack. 

He  was  dead  !  killed  by  one  blow  with  the  hunt- 
ing knife.  I  had  struck  him  across  the  back  just 
behind  the  shoulders,  and  the  wound  was  so  im- 
mense, that  he  had  the  appearance  of  being  nearly 
half  divided.  Not  only  was  the  spine  severed,  but 
the  blade  had  cut  deep  into  his  vitals  and  produced 
instant  death. 

One  of  the  dogs  was  hanging  on  his  hind 
quarters  when  he  charged,  and  as  the  boar  was 
rushing  forw^ard,  the  muscles  of  the  back  were 
accordingly  stretched  tight,  and  thus  the  effect  of 
the  cut  was  increased  to  this  extraordinary  degree. 
He  was  a  middling  sized  boar,  as  near  as  I  could 
guess,  about  two  and  a  half  hundredweight. 

Fortunately  none  of  the  pack  were  seriously  hurt, 
although  his  tusks  were  as  sharp  as  a  knife.     This 


144  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  vi 

was  owing  to  the  short  duration  of  the  fight,  and  also 
to  the  presence  of  so  many  seizers,  who  backed  each 
other  up  without  delay. 

There  is  no  saying  to  what  size  a  wild  boar 
grows.  I  have  never  killed  them  with  the  hounds 
above  four  hundredweight ;  but  I  have  seen  solitary 
boars  in  the  low  country  that  must  have  weighed 
nearly  double. 

I  believe  the  flesh  is  very  good ;  by  the  natives 
it  is  highly  prized  ;  but  I  have  so  strong  a  preju- 
dice against  it  from  the  sights  I  have  seen  of  their 
feasting  upon  putrid  elephants,  that  I  never  touch  it. 

The  numbers  ui  wild  hogs  in  the  low  country  is 
surprising,  and  they  are  most  useful  in  cleaning  up 
the  carcases  of  dead  animals,  and  destroying  vermin. 
I  seldom  or  never  fire  at  a  pig  in  those  districts,  as 
their  number  is  so  great,  that  there  is  no  sport  in 
shooting  them.  They  travel  about  in  herds  of  one  or 
two  hundred,  and  even  more.  These  are  composed 
of  sows  and  young  boars  ;  as  the  latter  leave  the 
herd  when  arrived  at  maturity. 


H5 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Curious  Phenomenon — Panorama  of  Ouva — South-west  Monsoon  — 
Hunting  Followers — Fort  M 'Donald  River — Jungle  Paths — Danger- 
ous Locality —Great  Waterfall— Start  for  Hunting— The  Find — A 
Gallant  Stag — '  Bran  '  and  *  Lucifer '—*  Phrenzy's '  Death — Buck  at 
Bay — The  Cave  Hunting-box — 'Madcap's'  Dive — Elk.  Soup — For- 
mer Inundation— 'Bluebeard'  Leads  Off — 'Hecate's'  Course — The 
Elk's  Leap — Variety  of  Deer — The  Axis — Ceylon  Bears — Variety  of 
Vermin — Trials  for  Hounds — Hounds  and  their  Masters — A  Sports- 
man '  Shut  Up  ' — A  Corporal  and  Centipede. 

From  June  to  November,  the  south-west  monsoon 
brings  wind  and  mist  across  the  Newera  Ellia 
mountains. 

Clouds  of  white  fog  boil  up  from  the  Dimboola 
valley,  like  the  steam  from  a  huge  cauldron,  and 
invade  the  Newera  Ellia  plain  through  the  gaps  in 
the  mountains  to  the  westward. 

The  wind  howls  over  the  high  ridges,  cutting 
the  jungle  with  its  keen  edge,  so  that  it  remains 
as  stunted  brushwood,  and  the  opaque  screen  of 
driving  fog  and  drizzling  rain  is  so  dense,  that  one 
feels  convinced  there  is  no  sun  visible  within  at  least 
lOO  miles. 


t46  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

There  is  a  curious  phenomenon,  however,  in  this 
locahty.  When  the  weather  described  prevails 
at  Newera  Ellia,  there  is  actually  not  one  drop  of 
rain  within  four  miles  of  my  house  in  the  direction 
of  Badulla.  Dusty  roads,  a  cloudless  sky,  and 
dazzling  sunshine  astonish  the  thoroughly  soaked 
traveller,  who  rides  out  of  the  rain  and  mist  into 
a  genial  climate,  as  though  he  passed  through  a 
curtain.  The  wet  weather  terminates  at  a  mountain 
called  Hackgalla  (or  more  properly  Yakkadagalla, 
or  Iron  Rock).  This  bold  rock,  whose  summit  is 
about  6,500  feet  above  the  sea,  breasts  the  driving 
wind,  and  seems  t.  command  the  storm.  The 
rushing  clouds  halt  in  their  mad  course  upon  its 
crest,  and  curl  in  sudden  impotence  around  the 
craggy  summits.  The  deep  ravine  formed  by  an 
opposite  mountain  is  filled  with  the  vanquished 
mist,  which  sinks  powerless  in  its  dark  gorge ;  and 
the  bright  sun,  shining  from  the  east,  spreads  a 
perpetual  rainbow  upon  the  gauze- like  cloud  of 
fog  which  settles  in  the  deep  hollow. 

This  is  exceedingly  beautiful.  The  perfect  circle 
of  the  rainbow  stands  like  a  fairy  spell  in  the  giddy 
depth  of  the  hollow,  and  seems  to  forbid  the  advance 
of  the  monsoon.  All  before  is  bright  and  cloudless  : 
the  lovely  panorama  of  the  Ouva  country  spreads 
before  the  eye  for  many  miles  beneath  the  feet.  All 
behind    is   dark    and    stormy  ;   the  wind  is  howling, 


CHAP.  vii.  PANORAMA   OF  OUVA.  147 

the  forests  are  groaning,  the  rain  is  pelting  upon  the 
hills. 

The  change  appears  impossible ;  but  there  it  is, 
ever  the  same,  season  after  season,  year  after  year, 
the  rugged  top  of  Hackgalla  struggles  with  the 
storms,  and  ever  victorious  the  cliffs  smile  in  the 
sunshine  on  the  eastern  side  ;  the  rainbow  re-appears 
with  the  monsoon,  and  its  vivid  circle  remains  like  the 
guardian  spirit  of  the  valley. 

It  is  impossible  to  do  justice  to  the  extraordi- 
nary appearance  of  this  scene  by  description.  The 
panoramic  view  in  itself  is  celebrated  ;  but  as  the 
point  in  the  road  is  reached  where  the  termination 
of  the  monsoon  dissolves  the  cloud  and  rain  into 
a  thin  veil  of  mist,  the  panorama  seen  through 
the  gauze-like  atmosphere  has  the  exact  appearance 
of  a  dissolving  view  :  the  depth,  height,  and  dis- 
tance of  every  object,  all  great  in  reality,  are 
magnified  by  the  dim  and  unnatural  appearance ; 
and  by  a  few  steps  onward  the  veil  gradually  fades 
away,  and  the  distant  prospect  lies  before  the  eye 
with  a  glassy  clearness  made  doubly  striking  by  the 
sudden  contrast. 

The  road  winds  along  about  midway  up  the 
mountain,  bounded  on  the  right  by  the  towering 
cliffs  and  sloping  forest  of  Hackgalla,  and  on  the 
left  by  the  almost  precipitous  descent  of  nearly 
1,000   feet,   the    sides    of    which    are    clothed     by 


148  EIGHT   YEARS  IN   CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

alternate  forest  and  waving  grass.  At  the  bottom 
flows  a  torrent,  whose  roar  ascending  from  the 
hidden  depth,  increases  the  gloomy  mystery  of  the 
scene. 

On  the  north,  east  and  south-east  of  Newera  Ellia, 
the  sunshine  is  perpetual  during  the  reign  of  the 
misty  atmosphere,  which  the  south-west  monsoon 
drives  upon  the  western  side  of  the  mountains.  Thus, 
there  is  always  an  escape  open  from  the  wet  season  at 
Newera  Ellia,  by  a  short  walk  of  three  or  four  miles. 

A  long  line  of  dark  cloud  is  then  seen,  terminated 
by  a  bright  blue  sky.  So  abrupt  is  the  line,  and  the 
cessation  of  the  rain,  «iiat  it  is  difficult  to  imagine  how 
the  moisture  is  absorbed. 

This  sudden  termination  of  the  cloud-capped 
mountain  gives  rise  to  a  violent  wind  in  the  sunny 
valleys  and  bare  hills  beneath.  The'  chilled  air  of 
Newera  Ellia  pours  down  into  the  sun-warmed  at- 
mosphere below,  and  creates  a  gale  that  sweeps  across 
the  grassy  hill-tops  with  great  force,  giving  the  sturdy 
rhododendrons  an  inclination  to  the  north-east,  which 
clearly  marks  the  steadiness  of  the  monsoon. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that  Newera 
Ellia  lies  in  unbroken  gloom  for  months  together. 
One  month  generally  brings  a  share  of  uninterrupted 
bad  weather  ;  this  is  from  the  middle  of  June  to  the 
middle  of  July.  This  is  the  commencement  of  the 
south-west  monsoon,  which  usually  sets  in  with  great 


CHAP.  VII.  SOUTH-WEST  MONSOON.  149 

violence.  The  remaining  portion  of  what  is  called 
the  wet  season,  till  the  end  of  November,  is  about  as 
uncertain  as  the  climate  of  England,  some  days  fine, 
others  wet,  and  every  now  and  then  a  week  of  rain  at 
one  bout. 

A  thoroughly  saturated  soil,  with  a  cold  wind,  and 
driving  rain,  and  forests  as  full  of  water  as  sponges, 
are  certain  destroyers  of  scent ; — therefore,  hunting 
at  Newera  Ellia  is  out  of  the  question  during  such 
weather.  The  hounds  would  get  sadly  out  of  condi- 
tion, were  it  not  for  the  fine  weather  in  the  vicinity, 
which  then  invites  a  trip. 

I  have  frequently  walked  ten  miles  to  my  hunting 
ground,  starting  before  day-break,  and  then,  after  a 
good  day's  sport  up  and  down  the  steep  mountains,  I 
have  returned  home  in  the  evening.  But  this  is 
twelve  hours'  work,  and  it  is  game  thrown  away,  as 
there  is  no  possibility  of  getting  the  dead  elk  home. 
An  animal  that  weighs  between  400  and  450  pounds 
without  his  inside,  is  not  a  very  easy  creature  to  move 
at  any  time,  especially  in  such  a  steep  mountainous 
country  as  the  neighbourhood  of  Newera  Ellia.  As 
previously  described,  at  the  base  of  the  mountains  are 
cultivated  rice  lands,  generally  known  as  paddy  fields, 
where  numerous  villages  have  sprung  up,  from  the 
facility  with  which  a  supply  of  water  is  obtained  from 
the  wild  mountains  above  them.  I  have  so  frequently 
given  the  people  elk  and  hogs,  which  I  have  killed  on 


I50  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

the  heights  above  their  paddy  fields,  that  they  are 
always  on  the  alert  at  the  sound  of  the  bugle,  and  a 
few  blasts  from  the  mountain  top  immediately  creates 
a  race  up  from  the  villages,  some  two  or  three  thousand 
feet  below.  Like  vultures  scenting  carrion,  they  know 
that  an  elk  is  killed,  and  they  start  off  to  the  well- 
known  sound  like  trained  hounds. 

Being  thorough  mountaineers,  they  are  extraor- 
dinary fellows  for  climbing  the  steep  grassy  sides. 
With  a  light  stick  about  six  feet  long  in  one  hand, 
they  will  start  from  the  base  of  the  mountains  and 
clamber  up  the  hill  sides  in  a  surprisingly  short  space 
of  time  ;  such  as  would  soon  take  the  conceit  out  of 
a  *  would-be  pedestrian.'  This  is  owing  to  the  natural 
advantages  of  naked  feet,  and  no  inexpressibles. 

Whenever  an  elk  has  given  a  long  run  in  the 
direction  of  this  country,  and  after  a  persevering  and 
arduous  chase  of  mary  hours,  I  have  at  length  killed 
him  on  the  grassy  heights  above  the  villages.  1 
always  take  a  delight  in  watching  the  tiny  specks 
issuing  from  the  green  strips  of  paddy  as  the  natives 
start  off  at  the  sound  of  the  horn. 

At  this  altitude,  it  requires  a  sharp  eye  to  discern 
a  man  ;  but  at  length  they  are  seen  scrambling  up  the 
ravines  and  gullies,  and  breasting  the  sharp  pitches, 
until  at  last  the  first  man  arrives  thoroughly  *  used 
up  ; '  and  a  string  of  fellows  of  lesser  wind  come  in, 
in  sections,  all  completely  blown. 


CHAP.  v^ii.  HUNTING  FOLLOWERS.  151 

However,  the  first  man  in,  never  gets  the  Hon's 
share,  as  the  poor  old  men,  with  wilHng  spirits  and 
weak  flesh,  always  bring  up  the  rear,  and  I  insist  upon 
a  fair  division  between  the  old  and  young,  always 
giving  an  extra  piece  to  a  man  who  happens  to  know 
a  little  English.  This  is  a  sort  of  reward  for  acquire- 
ments, equivalent  to  a  university  degree,  and  he  is 
considered  a  literary  character  by  his  fellows. 

There  is  nothing  that  these  people  appreciate  so 
much  as  elk  and  hog's  flesh.  Living  generally  upon 
boiled  rice,  and  curry  composed  of  pumpkins  and 
sweet  potatoes,  they  have  no  opportunities  of  tasting 
meat,  unless  upon  these  occasions. 

During  the  very  wet  weather  at  Newera  EUia,  1 
sometimes  take  the  pack  and  bivouac  for  a  fortnight 
in  the  fine-weather  country.  About  a  week  previous, 
I  send  down  word  to  the  village  people  of  my  inten- 
tion ;  but  upon  these  occasions  I  never  give  them  the 
elk.  I  always  insist  upon  their  bringing  rice,  &c.,  for 
the  dogs  and  myself,  in  exchange  for  venison,  other- 
wise I  should  have  some  hundreds  of  noisy  idle 
vagabonds  flocking  up  to  me  like  carrion  crows. 

Of  course  I  give  them  splendid  bargains,  as  I 
barter  simply  on  the  principle  that  no  man  shall  come 
for  nothing.  Thus  if  a  man  assists  in  building  the 
kennel,  or  carrying  a  load,  or  cutting  bed  grass,  or 
searching  for  lost  hounds,  he  gets  a  share  of  meal. 
The  others  bring  rice,  coffee,   fowls,  eggs,   plantains. 


fS2  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

vegetables,  &c.,  which  I  take  at  ridiculous  rates — a 
bushel  of  rice  for  a  full-grown  elk,  &c.  The  latter 
being  worth  a  couple  of  pounds,  and  the  rice  about 
seven  shillings.  Thus  the  hounds  keep  themselves  in 
rice,  and  supply  me  with  every  thing  that  I  require 
during  the  trip,  at  the  same  time  gratifying  the 
natives. 

The  direct  route  to  this  country  was  unknown  to 
Europeans  at  Newera  Ellia,  until  I  discovered  it  one 
day  accidentally  in  following  the  hounds. 

,  A  large  tract  C)f  jungle-covered  hill  stretches  away 
from  the  Moon  Plains  at  Newera  Ellia  towards  the 
east,  forming  a  Hog's  Back  of  about  three  and  a  half 
miles  in  length.  Upon  the  north  side  this  shelves  into 
a  deep  gorge,  at  the  bottom  of  which,  flows,  or  rather 
tumbles.  Fort  M'Donald  river,  on  its  way  to  the  low 
country,  through  forest-covered  hills  and,perpendicular 
cliffs,  until  it  reaches  the  precipitous  patina  mountains, 
when,  in  a  succession  of  large  cataracts,  it  reaches  the 
paddy  fields  in  the  first  village  of  Perewell^  (guava 
paddy  field).  Thus  the  river  in  the  gorge  below  runs 
parallel  to  the  long  Hog's  Back  of  mountain.  This  is 
bordered  on  the  other  side  by  another  ravine  and 
smaller  torrent,  to  which  the  Badulla  road  runs 
parallel,  until  it  reaches  the  mountain  of  Hackgalla, 
at  which  place,  the  ravine  deepens  into  the  misty 
gorge  already  described. 

At  one  time,  if  an  elk  crossed  the  Badulla  road, 


CHAP.  VII.  FORT  MCDONALD  RIVER.  153 

and  gained  the  Hog's  Back  jungle,  both  he  and  the 
hounds  were  lost,  as  no  one  could  follow  through  such 
impenetrable  forest  without  knowing  either  the  dis- 
tance or  direction. 

*  They  are  gone  to  Fort  M 'Donald  river ! ' — this 
was  the  despairing  exclamation  at  all  times  when  the 
pack  crossed  the  road,  and  we  seldom  saw  the  hounds 
again  until  late  that  night,  or  on  the  following  day. 
Many  never  returned, — and  Fort  M'Donald  river  be- 
came a  by-word  as  a  locality  to  be  always  dreaded. 

After  a  long  run  one  day,  the  pack  having  gone  ofif 
in  this  fatal  direction ;  I  was  determined  at  any  price 
to  hunt  them  up;  and  accordingly,  I  went  some  miles 
down  the  Badulla  road  to  the  limestone  quarries, 
which  are  five  miles  from  the  Newera  EUia  plain. 
From  this  point  I  left  the  road,  and  struck  down  into 
the  deep  grassy  valley,  crossing  the  river  (the  same 
which  runs  by  the  road  higher  up),  and  continuing 
along  the  side  of  the  slope,  until  I  ascended  the 
opposite  range  of  hills.  Descending  the  precipitous 
hollow,  I  at  length  reached  the  paddy  fields  in  the 
low  country,  which  were  watered  by  Fort  M'Donald 
river,  and  I  looked  up  to  the  lofty  range,  formed  by 
the  Hog's  Back  hill,  now  about  3,000  feet  above  me. 
Thus  I  had  gained  the  opposite  side  of  the  Hog's 
Back,  and,  after  a  stiff  pull  up  the  mountain,  I  re- 
turned home  by  a  good  path,  which  I  had  formerly 
discovered  along  the  course  of  the  river  through  the 


154  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

forest  to  Newera  Ellia,  via  Rest  and  be  Thankful 
Bottom  and  the  Barrack  Plains  ;  I  had  thus  made 
a  circuit  of  about  twenty-five  miles,  and  become 
thoroughly  conversant  with  all  the  localities.  I  im- 
mediately determined  to  have  a  path  cut  from  the 
Badulla  road  across  the  Hog's  Back  jungle  to  the 
patinas,  which  looked  down  upon  Fort  McDonald  on 
tlie  other  side,  and  up  which  I  had  ascended  on  my 
return.  I  judged  the  distance  would  not  exceed  two 
miles  across,  and  I  chose  the  point  of  junction  with 
tlie  Badulla  road,  two  miles  and  a  half  from  my 
house.  My  reason  for  this  was,  that  the  elk  invari- 
ably took  to  the  jungle  at  this  spot,  which  proved 
it  to  be  the  easiest  route. 

This  road,  on  completion,  answered  every  expec- 
tation, connecting  the  two  sides  of  the  Hog's  Back 
by  an  excellent  path  of  about  two  miles,  and  de- 
bouching on  the  opposite  side  on  a  high  patina  peak, 
which  commanded  an  extensive  view.  Thus  was 
the  whole  country  opened  up  by  this  single  path  ; 
and  should  an  elk  play  his  old  trick,  and  be  off 
across  the  Hog's  Back  to  Fort  McDonald  river,  I 
could  be  there  nearly  as  soon  as  he  could,  and 
also  keep  within  hearing  of  the  hounds  throughout 
the  run. 

I  was  determined  to  take  the  tent,  and  regularly 
hunt  up  the  whole  country  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Hog's  Back,  as  the  weather  was  very  bad  at  Newera 


CHAP.  VII.  DANGEROUS  LOCALITY.  155 

Ellia,  while  in  this  spot  it  was  beautifully  fine, 
although  very  windy. 

1  therefore  sent  on  the  tent,  kennel-troughs,  and 
pots,  and  all  the  paraphernalia  indispensable  for  the 
jungle;  and  on  the  31st  May,  1852,  I  started,  having 
two  companions,  Captain  Pelly,  37th  Regiment,  who 
was  then  Commandant  of  Newera  Ellia,  and  his 
brother  on  a  visit. 

It  was  not  more  than  an  hour  and  a  half's  good 
walking  from  my  house  to  the  high  patina  peak  upon 
which  I  pitched  the  tent ;  but  the  country  and  climate 
are  so  totally  distinct  from  anything  at  Newera  Ellia, 
that  it  gives  everyone  the  idea  of  being  fifty  miles 
away. 

We  hewed  out  a  spacious  arbour  at  the  edge  of 
the  jungle,  and  in  this  I  had  the  tent  pitched  to  pro- 
tect it  from  the  wind,  which  it  did  effectually,  as  well 
as  the  kennel,  which  was  near  the  same  spot.  The 
servants  made  a  good  kitchen,  and  the  encampment 
was  soon  complete. 

There  could  not  have  been  a  more  romantic  or 
beautiful  spot  for  a  bivouac.  To  the  right  lay  the 
distant  view  of  the  low  country,  stretching  into  an 
undefined  distance,  until  the  land  and  sky  appeared  to 
melt  together.  Below,  at  a  depth  of  about  3,000  feet, 
the  river  boiled  through  the  rocky  gorge  until  it 
reached  the  village  of  Perewell^  at  the  base  of  the 
line    of    mountains,    whose    cultivated    paddy    fields 

M 


150  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chak  vii. 

looked  no  larger  than  the  squares  upon  a  chess- 
board. On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  rose  a 
precipitous  and  impassable  mountain  even  to  a 
greater  altitude  than  the  facing  ridge  upon  which 
I  stood,  forming  as  grand  a  foreground  as  the  eye 
could  desire.  Above,  below,  around,  there  was  the 
bellowing  sound  of  heavy  cataracts  echoed  upon 
ill  sides. 

Certainly  this  country  is  very  magnificent ;  but  it 
is  an  awful  locality  for  hunting,  as  the  elk  has  too 
great  an  advantage  over  both  hounds  and  hunters. 
Mountainous  patinas,  of  the  steepest  inclination, 
broken  here  and  there  by  abrupt  precipices,  and 
with  occasional  level  platforms  of  waving  grass,  de- 
scend to  the  river's  bed.  These  patina  mountains 
are  crowned  by  extensive  forests,  and  narrow  belts 
of  jungle  descend  from  the  summit  to  the  base, 
clothing  the  numerous  ravines  which  furrow  the  moun- 
tain's side.  Thus  the  entire  surface  of  the  mountains 
forms  a  series  of  rugged  grass  lands,  so  steep  as  to  be 
ascended  with  the  greatest  difficulty,  and  the  elk  lie 
in  the  forests  on  the  summits,  and  also  in  the  narrow 
belts  which  cover  the  ravines. 

The  whole  country  forms  a  gorge,  like  a  gigantic 
letter  V.  At  the  bottom  roars  the  dreaded  torrent 
Fort  M 'Donald  river,  in  a  succession  of  foaming 
cataracts,  all  of  which,  however  grand  individually, 
are  completely  eclipsed  by   its  last  great  plunge  of 


I 


CHAP.  VII.  GREA  T  WA  TERFALL.  1 57 

300  feet  perpendicular  depth  into  a  dark  and  narrow 
chasm  of  wall-bound  cliffs. 

The  bed  of  the  river  is  the  most  frightful  place 
that  can  be  conceived,  being  choked  by  enormous 
fragments  of  rock,  amidst  which,  the  irresistible 
torrent  howls  with  a  fury  that  it  is  impossible  to 
describe. 

The  river  is  confined  on  either  side  by  rugged 
cliffs  of  gneiss  rock,  from  which  these  fragments  have 
from  time  to  time  become  detached,  and  have  accord- 
ingly fallen  into  the  torrent,  choking  up  the  bed,  and 
throwing  the  obstructed  waters  into  frightful  commo- 
tion. Here  they  lie  piled  one  upon  the  other,  like 
so  many  inverted  cottages ;  now  forming  dripping 
caverns  ;  then  resembling  walls  of  slippery  rock,  over 
which  the  water  falls  in  thundering  volumes  into 
pools,  black  from  their  mysterious  depth,  and  from 
which  there  is  no  visible  means  of  exit.  These  dark 
and  dangerous  pools  are  walled  in  by  hoary-looking 
rocks,  beneath  which  the  pent-up  water  dives  and 
boils  in  subterranean  caverns,  until  it  at  length  escapes 
through  secret  channels,  and  reappears  on  the  opposite 
side  of  its  prison  walls.  Lashing  itself  into  foam  in 
its  mad  frenzy,  it  forms  rapids  of  giddy  velocity 
through  the  rocky  bounds  ;  now  flying  through  a 
nai rowed  gorge,  and  leaping,  striving,  and  wrestling 
with  unnumbered  obstructions,  it  at  length  meets  with 
the  mighty  fall,  like   death  in  a  madman's   course 

M  2 


158  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  \^T. 

One  plunge  !  without  a  single  shelf  to  break  the  fall, 
and  down,  down  it  sheets  ;  at  first  like  glass,  then 
like  the  broken  avalanche  of  snow,  and  lastly ! — we 
cannot  see  more — the  mist  boils  from  the  ruin  of 
shattered  waters,  and  conceals  the  bottom  of  the  fall. 
The  roar  vibrates  like  thunder  in  the  rocky  mountain, 
and  forces  the  grandeur  of  the  scene  through  every 
nerve. 

No  animal  or  man,  once  in  those  mysterious  pools, 
could  ever  escape  without  assistance.  Thus  in  years 
past,  when  elk  w  ere  not  followed  up  in  this  locality, 
the  poor  beast  being  hard  pressed  by  the  hounds, 
might  have  come  to  bay  in  one  of  these  fatal  basins, 
in  which  case  both  he  and  every  hound  who  entered 
the  trap,  found  sure  destruction. 

The  hard  work,  and  the  danger  to  both  man  and 
hound  in  this  country,  may  be  easily  imagined,  when 
it  is  explained,  that  the  nature  of  the  elk  prompts 
him  to  seek  for  water  as  his  place  of  refuge  when 
hunted ;  thus  he  makes  off  down  the  mountain 
for  the  river,  in  which  he  stands  at  bay.  Now 
the  mountain  itself  is  steep  enough,  but  within  a 
short  distance  of  the  bottom,  the  river  is  in  many 
places  guarded  by  precipices  of  several  hundred 
feet  in  depth.  A  few  difficult  passes  alone  give 
access  to  the  torrent  ;  but  the  descent  requires  great 
caution. 

Altogether  this  forms  the  wildest  and  most  ardu- 


CHAP.  vii.  START  FOR  HUNTING,  159 

ous  country  that  can  be  imagined  for  hunting  ,  but  it 
abounds  with  elk. 

The  morning  was  barely  grey,  when  I  woke  up 
the  servants,  and  ordered  coffee,  and  made  the  usual 
preparations  for  a  start.  At  last,  thank  goodness  ! 
the  boots  are  laced.  This  is  the  troublesome  part  of 
dressing  before  broad  daylight,  and  nevertheless  laced 
ankle  boots  must  be  worn  as  a  protection  against 
sprains  and  bruises  in  such  a  country.  Never  mind 
the  trouble  of  lacing  them,  they  are  on  now,  and 
there  is  a  good  day's  work  in  store  for  them. 

It  was  the  30th  May,  1853,  a  lovely  hunting 
morning,  and  a  fine  dew  on  the  patinas  ;  rather  too 
windy,  but  that  could  not  be  helped. 

Quiet  now  ! — down,  Bluebeard  ! — back,  will  you, 
Lucifer !  Here's  a  smash !  there  goes  the  jungle 
kennel !  the  pack  squeezing  out  of  it  in  every  direc- 
tion, as  they  hear  the  preparations  for  departure. 

Now  we  are  all  right,  ten  couple  out,  and  all  good 
ones.  '  Come  along,  yo-o-i,  along  here  ; '  and  a  note 
on  the  horn  brings  the  pack  close  together  as  we 
enter  the  forest  on  the  very  summit  of  the  ridge. 
Thus  the  start  was  completed  just  as  the  first  tinge 
of  gold  spread  along  the  eastern  horizon,  about  ten 
minutes  before  sunrise. 

The  jungles  were  tolerably  good,  but  there  were 
not  as  many  elk  tracks  as  I  had  expected  ;  probably, 
the  high  wind  on  the  ridge  had  driven  them  lower 


i6o  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

down  for  shelter ;  accordingly  I  struck  an  oblique 
direction  downwards,  and  I  was  not  long  before  I 
discovered  a  fresh  track ;  fresh  enough,  certainly,  as 
the  thick  moss  which  covered  the  ground  showed  a 
distinct  path  where  the  animal  had  been  recently 
feeding. 

Every  hound  had  stolen  away  ;  even  the  grey- 
hounds buried  their  noses  in  the  broad  track  of  the 
buck,  so  fresh  was  the  scent ;  and  I  waited  quietly 
for  '  the  find.'  The  greyhounds  stood  round  me  with 
their  ears  cocked,  and  glistening  eyes,  intently  listen- 
ing for  the  expected  sound. 

There  they  are ! — all  together,  such  a  burst ! 
They  must  have  stolen  away  mute,  and  have  found 
on  the  other  side  the  ridge,  for  they  were  now  coming 
down  at  full  speed  from  the  very  summit  of  the 
mountain. 

From  the  amount  of  music,  I  knew  they  had  a 
good  start ;  but  I  had  no  idea  that  the  buck  would 
stand  to  such  a  pack  at  the  very  commencement  of 
the  hunt.  Nevertheless,  there  was  a  sudden  bay 
within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  me,  and  the  elk  had 
already  turned  to  fight.  I  knew  that  he  was  an  im- 
mense fellow  from  his  track,  and  I  at  once  saw  that 
he  would  show  fine  sport. 

Just  as  I  was  running  through  the  jungle  towards 
the  spot,  the  bay  broke,  and  the  buck  had  evidently 
gone  off  straight  away,  as  I  heard  the  pack  in  full  cry 


CHAP.  VII.  THE  FIND.  i6i 

rapidly  increasing  their  distance,  and  going  off  down 
the  mountain. 

Sharp  following  was  now  the  order  of  the  day, 
and  away  we  went.  The  mountain  was  so  steep  that 
it  was  necessary,  every  now  and  then,  to  check  the 
momentum  of  a  rapid  descent  by  clinging  to  the 
tough  saplings.  Sometimes  a  branch  would  give 
way,  and  a  considerable  spill  would  be  the  conse- 
quence. However,  I  soon  got  out  on  the  patina, 
about  one-third  of  the  way  down  the  mountain,  and 
here  I  met  one  of  the  natives,  who  was  well  posted. 
Not  a  sound  of  the  pack  was  now  to  be  heard  ;  but 
this  man  declared  most  positively  that  the  elk  had 
suddenly  changed  his  course,  and,  instead  of  keeping 
down  the  hill,  had  struck  off  to  his  left,  along  the  side 
of  the  mountain.  Accordingly,  off  I  started  as  hard 
as  I  could  go,  with  several  natives,  who  all  agreed  as 
to  the  direction. 

After  running  for  about  a  mile  along  the  patinas, 
in  the  line  which  I  judged  the  pack  had  taken,  I 
heard  one  hound  at  bay  in  a  narrow  jungle,  high  up 
on  my  left.  It  was  only  the  halt  of  an  instant,  for 
the  next  moment  I  heard  the  same  hound's  voice 
evidently  running  on  the  other  side  of  the  strip  of 
jungle,  and  taking  off  down  the  mountain  straight  for 
the  dreaded  river.  Here  was  a  day's  work  cut  out  as 
neatly  as  could  be  ! 

Running   towards    the   spot,    I  found  the  buck's 


*62  EIGHT  YEARS   IN  CEYLON.  chap,  vli 

track  leading  in  that  direction,  and  I  gave  two  or 
three  view  halloos  at  the  top  of  my  voice,  to  bring 
the  rest  of  the  pack  down  upon  it.  They  were  close 
at  hand,  but  the  high  wind  had  prevented  me  from 
hearing  them,  and  away  they  came  from  the  jungle, 
rushing  down  upon  the  scent  like  a  flock  of  birds.  I 
stepped  off  the  track  to  let  them  pass  as  they  swept 
by,  and  '  For-r-r-a-r-d  to  him  !  For-r-r-ard  !  *  was  the 
word  the  moment  they  had  passed,  as  I  gave  them  a 
halloo  down  the  hill.  It  was  a  bad  look-out  for  the 
elk  now  ;  every  hound  knew  their  master  was  close 
up,  and  they  went  like  demons. 

The  *  Tamby '  •  was  the  only  man  up,  and  he  and 
I  immediately  followed  in  chase  down  the  precipitous 
patinas  ;  running  when  we  could,  scrambling,  and 
sliding  on  our  hams,  when  it  was  too  steep  to  stand, 
and  keeping  good  hold  of  the  long  tufts  of  grass,  lest 
we  should  gain  too  great  an  impetus,  and  slide  to  the 
bottom. 

After  about  half  a  mile  passed  in  this  manner,  I 
heard  the  bay,  and  I  saw  the  buck  far  beneath,  stand- 
ing upon  a  level  grassy  platform,  within  3(X)  yards  of 
the  river.  The  whole  pack  was  around  him  except 
the  greyhounds,  who  were  with  me  ;  but  not  a  hound 
had  a  chance  with  him,  and  he  repeatedly  charged  in 
among  them,  and  regularly  drove  them  before  him, 

'  Ar  exceedingly  active   Moorman,    who  was   ray  great  ally   in 
hunung. 


CHAP.  vii.  A    GALLANT  STAG.  tftj 

sending  any  single  hound  spinning  whenever  he  came 
within  his  range.  But  the  pack  quickly  re-united, 
and  always  returned  with  fresh  vigour  to  the  attack. 
There  was  a  narrow  wooded  ravine  between  me  and 
them,  and  with  caution  and  speed  combined,  I  made 
towards  the  spot  down  the  precipitous  mountain, 
followed  by  the  greyhounds,  '  Bran '  and  '  Lucifer.' 

I  soon  arrived  on  a  level  with  the  bay,  and, 
plunging  into  the  ravine,  I  swung  myself  down  from 
tree  to  tree,  and  then  climbed  up  the  opposite  side. 
I  broke  cover  within  a  few  yards  of  him.  What  a 
splendid  fellow  he  looked  ! — he  was  about  thirteen 
hands  high,  and  carried  the  most  beautiful  head  of 
horns  that  I  had  ever  seen  upon  an  elk.  His  mane 
was  bristled  up,  his  nostril  was  distended,  and,  turn- 
ing from  the  pack,  he  surveyed  me,  as  though  taking 
the  measure  of  his  new  antagonist.  Not  seeming 
satisfied,  he  deliberately  turned,  and,  descending  from 
the  level  space,  he  carefully  picked  his  way.  Down 
narrow  elk  runs  along  the  steep  precipices,  and  at  a 
slow  walk,  with  the  whole  pack  in  single  file  at  his 
heels,  he  clambered  down  towards  the  river.  I 
followed  on  his  track  over  places  which  I  would  not 
pass  in  cold  blood  ;  and  I  shortly  halted  above  a 
cataract  of  some  eighty  feet  in  depth,  about  lOO 
paces  above  the  great  waterfall. 

It  was  extremely  grand  ;  the  roar  of  the  falls  so 
entirely  hushed  all  other  sounds,  that  the  voices  of 


i64  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vil. 

the  hounds  were  perfectly  inaudible,  although  within 
a  few  yards  of  me,  as  I  looked  down  upon  them  from 
a  rock  that  overhung  the  river. 

The  elk  stood  upon  the  brink  of  the  swollen 
torrent ;  he  could  not  retreat,  as  the  wall  of  rock  was 
behind  him,  with  the  small  step-like  path  by  which 
he  had  descended  :  this  was  now  occupied  by  the 
yelling  pack. 

The  hounds  knew  the  danger  of  the  place  ;  but 
the  buck,  accustomed  to  these  haunts  from  his  birth, 
suddenly  leapt  across  the  boiling  rapids,  and,  spring- 
ing from  rock  to  rock  along  the  verge  of  the  cataract, 
he  gained  the  opposite  side.  Here  he  had  mistaken 
his  landing  place,  as  a  shelving  crag  upon  which  he 
had  alighted,  was  so  steep,  that  he  could  not  retain 
his  footing,  and  he  gradually  slid  down  towards  the 
river. 

At  this  moment,  to  my  horror,  both  '  Bran '  and 
*  Lucifer '  dashed  across  the  torrent,  and  bounding 
from  rock  to  rock,  they  sprang  at  the  already  totter- 
ing elk,  and  in  another  moment  both  he  and  they 
rolled  over  in  a  confused  mass  into  the  boiling  tor- 
rent !  One  more  instant,  and  they  re-appeared  ;  the 
buck  gallantly  stemming  the  current,  which  his  great 
length  of  limb  and  weight  enabled  him  to  do ;  the 
dogs,  overwhelmed  in  the  foam  of  the  rapids,  were 
swept  down  towards  the  fall,  in  spite  of  their  frantic 
exertions  to  gain  the  bank.     They  were   not   fifteen 


CHAP.  VII.  '  BRAN'   AND    'LUCIFER^  165 

feet  from  the  edge  of  the  fall,  and  I  saw  them  spun 
round  and  round  in  the  whirlpools,  being  hurried 
towards  certain  destruction.  The  poor  dogs  seemed 
aware  of  the  danger,  and  made  the  most  extraordi- 
nary efforts  to  avoid  their  fate.  They  were  my  two 
favourites  of  the  pack,  and  I  screamed  out  words  of 
encouragement  to  them,  although  the  voice  of  a 
cannon  could  not  have  been  heard  among  the  roar  of 
waters.  They  had  nearly  gained  the  bank,  on  the 
very  verge  of  the  fall,  when  a  few  tufts  of  lemon  grass 
concealed  them  from  my  view.  I  thought  they  were 
over ;  and  I  could  not  restrain  a  cry  of  despair  at 
their  horrible  fate.  I  felt  sick  with  the  idea.  But 
the  next  moment  I  was  shouting  hurrah  !  they  are  all 
right ;  thank  goodness,  they  were  saved.  I  saw  them 
struggling  up  the  steep  bank,  through  the  same 
lemon  grass,  which  had  for  a  moment  obscured  their 
fate.  They  were  thoroughly  exhausted,  and  half 
drowned. 

In  the  meantime,  the  elk  had  manfully  breasted 
the  rapids,  carefully  choosing  the  shallow  places  ;  and 
the  whole  pack,  being  mad  with  excitement,  had 
plunged  into  the  water,  regardless  of  the  danger.  I 
thought  every  hound  would  have  been  lost.  For  an 
instant  they  looked  like  a  flock  of  ducks,  but  a  few 
moments  afterwards  they  were  scattered  in  the  boil- 
ing eddies,  hurrying  with  fatal  speed  towards  the 
dreadful  cataract.     Poor  '  Phrenzy,'  round  she  spun 


r66  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

in  the  giddy  vortex ;  nearer  and  nearer  she  ap- 
proached the  verge — her  struggles  were  unavailing — 
over  she  went!  and  was  of  course  never  heard  of 
afterwards. 

This  was  a  terrible  style  of  hunting  ;  rather  too 
much  so  to  be  pleasant. 

I  clambered  down  to  the  edge  of  the  river  just  in 
time  to  see  the  elk  climbing  as  nimbly  as  a  cat  up 
the  precipitous  bank  on  the  opposite  side,  threading 
his  way  at  a  slow  walk  under  the  overhanging  rocks, 
and  scrambling  up  the  steep  mountain  with  a  long 
string  of  hounds  at  his  heels  in  single  file.  *  Valiant,' 
*  Tiptoe,'  and  '  Plough  hoy,'  were  close  to  him,  and  I 
counted  the  other  hounds  in  the  line,  fully  expecting 
to  miss  half  of  them  To  my  surprise  and  delight, 
only  one  was  absent  ;  this  was  '  Phrenzy.'  The 
others  had  all  managed  to  save  themselves.  I  now 
crossed  the  river  by  leaping  from  rock  to  rock  with 
some  difficulty,  and  with  hands  and  knees  I  climbed 
the  opposite  bank.  This  was  about  sixty  feet  high, 
from  the  top  of  which  the  mountain  commenced  its 
ascent ;  although  very  precipitous,  the  air  was  so 
covered  with  long  lemon  grass,  that  it  was  easy 
enough  to  climb.  I  looked  behind  me,  and  there  was 
the  Tamby,  all  right,  within  a  few  paces. 

The  elk  was  no  longer  in  sight,  and  the  roar  of 
the  water  was  so  great  that  it  was  impossible  to  hear 
the  hounds.     However,  I  determined  to  crawl  along 


CHAP.  VII. 


BUCK  AT  BAY.  167 


his  track  which  was  plainly  discernible,  the  high  grass 
being  broken  into  a  regular  lane  which  skirted  the 
precipice  of  the  great  waterfall  in  the  direction  of  the 
villages. 

We  were  now  about  a  hundred  feet  above,  and  on 
one  side  of  the  great  fall,  looking  into  the  deep 
chasm  into  which  the  river  leapt,  forming  a  cloud  of 
mist  below.  The  lemon  grass  was  so  high  in  tufts 
among  the  rocks  that  we  could  not  see  a  foot  before 
us,  and  we  knew  not  whether  the  next  step  would 
land  us  on  firm  footing,  or  deposit  us  some  hundred 
feet  below.  Clutching  fast  to  the  long  grass,  there- 
fore, we  crept  carefully  on  for  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile,  now  climbing  the  face  of  the  rocks,  now  de- 
scending by  means  of  their  irregular  surfaces,  but  still 
skirting  the  dark  gorge  down  which  the  river  fell. 

At  length,  having  left  the  fall  some  considerable 
distance  behind  us,  the  ear  was  somewhat  relieved 
from  the  bewildering  noise  of  water,  and  I  distinctly 
heard  the  pack  at  bay  not  very  far  in  advance.  In 
another  moment  I  saw  the  elk  standing  on  a  platform 
of  rock  about  a  hundred  yards  ahead,  on  a  lower 
shelf  of  the  mountain,  and  the  whole  pack  at  bay. 
This  platform  was  the  top  of  a  cliff  which  overhung 
the  deep  gorge ;  the  river  flowing  in  the  bottom 
after  its  great  fall,  and  both  the  elk  and  hounds  ap- 
peared to  be  in  *  a  fix.'  The  descent  had  been  made 
to  this  point  by  leaping  down  places  which  he  could 


1 68  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vti. 

not  possibly  re-ascend,  and  there  was  only  one  narrow 
outlet,  which  was  covered  by  the  hounds.  Should  he 
charge  through  the  hounds  to  force  this  passage, 
half  a  dozen  of  them  must  be  knocked  over  the 
precipice. 

However,  I  carefully  descended,  and  soon  reached 
the  platform.  This  was  not  more  than  twenty  feet 
square,  and  it  looked  down  into  the  gorge  of  about 
three  hundred  feet.  The  first  seventy  of  this  depth 
were  perpendicular,  as  the  top  of  the  rock  overhung ; 
after  which,  the  side  of  the  cliff  was  marked  by  great 
fissures  and  natural  steps  formed  by  the  detachment 
from  time  to  time  of  masses  of  rock  which  had  fallen 
into  the  river  below.  Bushes  and  rank  grass  filled 
the  interstices  of  the  rocks,  and  an  old  deserted  water- 
course lay  exactly  beneath  the  platform,  being  cut 
and  built  out  of  the  side  of  the  cliff. 

It  was  a  magnificent  sight  in  such  grand  scenery 
to  see  the  buck  at  bay  when  we  arrived  upon  the 
platform.  He  was  a  dare-devil  fellow,  and  feared 
neither  hounds  nor  man  ;  every  now  and  then  he 
charged  through  the  pack,  and  came  almost  within 
reach  of  the  Tamby's  spear.  It  was  difficult  to  kill 
him.  I  was  afraid  to  go  in  at  him,  lest  in  his  strug- 
gles he  should  drag  the  hounds  over  the  precipice, 
and  I  would  not  cheer  the  seizers  on  for  the  same 
reason.  Indeed,  they  seemed  well  aware  of  the 
danger,  and  every  now  and  then  retreated   to  me,  as 


CHAP.  vii.  DEATH  OF  THE  ELK.  169 

though  to  induce  the  elk  to  make  a  move  to  some 
better  ground. 

However,  the  buck  very  soon  decided  the  ques- 
tion. I  made  up  my  mind  to  halloo  the  hounds 
on,  and  to  ham-string  the  elk,  to  prevent  him  from 
nearing  the  precipice ;  I  gave  a  shout,  and  the  pack 
rushed  at  him.  Not  a  dog  could  touch  him  ;  he  was 
too  quick  with  his  horns  and  fore-feet.  He  made  a 
dash  into  the  pack,  and  then  regained  his  position 
close  to  the  verge  of  the  precipice.  He  then  turned 
his  back  to  the  hounds,  looked  down  over  the  edge, 
and,  to  the  astonishment  of  all,  he  plunged  into  the 
abyss  below!  A  dull  crash  sounded  from  beneath, 
and  then  nothing  was  heard  but  the  roaring  of  the 
waters  as  before.  The  hounds  looked  over  the  edge, 
and  yelled  with  a  mixture  of  fear  and  despair.  Their 
game  was  gone ! 

By  making  a  circuit  of  about  half  a  mile  among 
these  frightful  precipices  and  gorges,  we  at  length 
arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  cliff  down  which  the  buck 
had  leapt.  Here  we  of  course  found  him  lying 
dead,  as  he  had  broken  most  of  his  bones.  He  was 
in  very  fine  condition  ;  but  it  was  impossible  to 
move  him  from  such  a  spot.  T  therefore  cut  off 
his  head,  as  his  antlers  were  the  finest  that  I  have 
ever  killed  before  or  since. 

To  regain  the  tent,  I  had  a  pull  for  it,  having 
to  descend  into    the  village  of  Pdrewelle,   and   then 

N 


lyo 


EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 


to  re-ascend  the  opposite  mountain  of  3,000  feet ; 
but  even  this  I  thought  preferable  to  returning  in 
cold  blood  by  the  dangerous  route  I  had  come. 

Tugging  up  such  a  mountain  was  no  fun  after 
a  hard  morning's  work,  and  I  resolved  to  move  the 
encampment  to  a  large  cave,  some  800  feet  lower 
down  the  mountain.  Accordingly,  I  struck  the 
tent,  and  after  breakfast  we  took  up  our  quarters 
in  a  cavern  worthy  of  Robin  Hood.  This  had  been 
formed  by  a  couple  of  large  rocks,  the  size  of  a 
moderate  house,  which  had  been  detached  from  the 
overhanging  cliff  above,  and  had  fallen  together. 
There  was  a  smaiLi  cavern  within,  which  made  a 
capital  kennel ;  rather  more  substantial  than  the 
rickety  building  of  yesterday. 

Some  of  the  village  people,  hearing  that  the 
buck  was  killed  and  lying  in  the  old  watercourse, 
went  in  a  gang  to  cut  him  up.  What  was  their 
surprise  on  reaching  the  spot  to  find  the  carcase 
removed.  It  had  evidently  been  dragged  along  the 
watercourse,  as  the  trail  was  distinct  in  the  high 
grass,  and  upon  following  it  up,  away  went  two 
fine  leopards  bounding  along  the  rocks  to  their 
adjacent  cave.  They  had  consumed  a  large  portion 
of  the  flesh ;  but  the  villagers  did  not  leave  them 
much  for  another  meal.  Skin,  hoofs,  and  in 
fact  every  vestige  of  an  elk  is  consumed  by  these 
people. 


CHAP.  VII.  ELK  VENISON.  \^\ 

For  my  own  part,  I  no  not  think  much  of  elk 
venison,  unless  it  be  very  fat,  which  is  rarely  the 
case.  It  is  at  all  times  more  like  beef  than  any 
other  meat,  for  which  it  is  a  very  good  substitute. 
The  marrow-bones  are  the  '  bonne  bouchel  being 
peculiarly  rich  and  delicate.  Few  animals  can 
have  a  larger  proportion  of  marrow  than  the  elk, 
as  the  bones  are  more  hollow  than  those  of  most 
quadrupeds.  This  cylindrical  formation  enables 
them  to  sustain  the  severe  shocks  in  descending 
rough  mountains  at  full  speed.  It  is  perfectly 
wonderful  to  see  an  animal  of  near  600  pounds' 
weight  bounding  down  a  hill-side  over  rocks  and 
ruts  and  every  conceivable  difficulty  of  ground,  at 
a  pace  which  will  completely  distance  the  best 
hound  ;  and  even  at  this  desperate  speed,  the  elk 
will  never  make  a  false  step ;  sure-footed  as  a 
goat,  he  will  still  fly  on  through  bogs,  ravines, 
tangled  jungles,  and  rocky  rivers,  ever  certain  of 
his  footing. 

The  foregoing  description  of  an  elk  hunt  will  give 
the  reader  a  good  idea  of  the  power  of  this  animal 
in  stemming  rapids  and  climbing  dangerous  preci- 
pices; but  even  an  elk  is  not  proof  against  the 
dangers  of  Fort  M'Donald  river,  an  example  of 
which  we  had  on  the  following  morning. 

The  hounds  found  a  doe,  who  broke  cover  close 
to  me  in  a  small  patina,  and  made  straight  running 

N  2 


1 7a  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  vii 

for  the  river.  She  had  no  sooner  reached  it  than 
I  heard  her  cry  out,  and  as  she  was  closely  followed 
1  thought  she  was  seized.  However,  the  whole 
pack  shortly  returned,  evidently  thrown  out,  and  I 
began  to  abuse  them  pretty  roundly,  thinking  that 
they  had  lost  their  game  in  the  river.  So  they  had  ; 
but  in  an  excusable  manner  ;  the  poor  doe  had  been 
washed  down  a  rapid,  and  had  broken  her  thigh. 
We  found  her  dead  under  a  hollow  rock  in  the  middle 
of  the  river. 

Here  we  had  a  fine  exemplification  of  the  danger 
of  the  mysterious  pools. 

While  I  was  opening  the  elk,  with  the  pack  all 
round  me,  licking  their  lips  in  expectation,  old 
'  Madcap '  was  jostled  by  one  of  the  greyhounds, 
and  slipi>ed  into  a  basin  among  the  rocks  which 
formed  an  edge  of  about  two  feet  above  the 
surface. 

The  opposite  side  of  the  pool  was  hemmed  in  by 
rocks  about  six  feet  high,  and  the  direction  of  the 
under  current  was  at  once  shown  by  poor  old 
*  Madcap '  being  swept  up  against  this  high  wall 
of  rock,  where  she  remained  paddling  with  all  her 
might  in  an  upright  position. 

I  saw  the  poor  beast  would  be  sucked  under,  and 
yet  I  could  not  save  her.  However,  I  did  my  best, 
at  the  risk  of  falling  in  myself. 

I  took  off  my  handkerchief  and  made  a  slip  knot, 


CHAP.  vii.  'MADCAP'S'   DIVE,  \rs 

and,  begging  Pelly  to  lie  down  on  the  top  of  the 
rock,  I  took  his  hand  while  I  clung  to  the  face  of  the 
wall  as  I  best  could  by  a  little  ledge  of  about  two 
inches'  width.  With  great  difficulty  I  succeeded  in 
hooking  the  bitch's  head  in  the  slip  knot,  but  in 
my  awkward  position  I  could  not  use  sufficient 
strength  to  draw  her  out.  I  could  only  support 
her  head  above  the  water,  which  I  could  distinctly 
feel  was  drawing  her  from  me.  Presently  she  gave 
a  convulsive  struggle,  which  freed  her  head  from  the 
loop,  and  in  an  instant  she  disappeared. 

I  could  not  help  going  round  the  rock  to  see 
if  her  body  should  be  washed  out  when  the  torrent 
reappeared,  when,  to  my  astonishment,  she  popped 
up  all  right,  not  being  more  than  half  drowned  by 
her  subterranean  excursion,  and  we  soon  helped 
her  safe  ashore.  Fortunately  for  her,  the  passage 
had  been  sufficiently  large  to  admit  her,  although 
I  have  no  doubt  a  man  would  have  been  held  fast 
and  drowned. 

There  was  so  much  water  in  the  river  that  I 
determined  to  move  from  this  locality  as  too  dan- 
gerous for  hunting.  I,  therefore,  ordered  the  village 
people  to  assemble  on  the  following  morning  to  carry 
the  loads  and  tent.  In  the  meantime  I  sent  for  the 
dead  elk. 

There  could  not  be  a  better  place  for  a  hunting 
box  than  that  cave.     We  soon   had  a  glorious  fire 


174  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chaF   vii. 

roaring  round  the  kennel  pot,  which,  having  beeii 
well  scoured  with  sand  and  water,  was  to  make  the 
soup.  Such  soup  ! — shades  of  gourmands,  if  ye  only 
smelt  that  cookery !  The  pot  held  six  gallons,  and 
the  whole  elk^  except  a  few  steaks,  was  cut  up  and 
alternately  boiled  down  in  sections.  The  flesh  was 
then  cut  up  small  for  the  pack  ;  the  marrow  bones 
reserved  for  *  master,'  and  the  soup  was  then  boiled 
until  it  had  evaporated  to  the  quantity  required.  A 
few  green  chillies,  onion  in  slices  fried,  and  a  little 
lime  juice,  salt,  black  pepper  and  mushroom  ketchup, 
and, — in  fact,  there  is  no  use  thinking  of  it,  as  the 
soup  is  not  to  be  had  again.  The  fire  crackled  and 
blazed  as  the  logs  were  heaped  upon  it  as  night  grew 
near,  and  lit  up  all  the  nooks  and  corners  of  the  old 
cave.  Three  beds  in  a  row  contained  three  sleepy 
mortals.  The  hounds  snored,  and  growled,  and  then 
snored  again.  The  servants  jabbered,  chewed  betel, 
spit,  then  jabbered  a  little  more,  and  at  last  every 
thing  and  every  body  was  fast  asleep  within  the 
cave. 

The  next  morning  we  had  an  early  breakfast 
and  started  ;  the  village  people  marching  off  in  good 
spirits  with  the  loads.  I  was  now  en  route  for  Ber- 
tram's patinas,  which  lay  exactly  over  the  mountain 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  This  being  per- 
pendicular, I  was  obliged  to  make  a  great  circuit  by 
keeping  the  old  Newera  Ellia  path  along  the  river  for 


CHAP.  VI 1.  FORMER  INUNDATION.  175 

two  or  three  miles,  and  then,  turning  off  at  right 
angles^  I  knew  an  old  native  trace  over  the  ridge. 
Altogether  it  was  a  round  of  about  six  miles, 
although  the  patinas  were  not  a  mile  from  the  cave 
in  a  straight  line. 

The  path,  in  fact,  terminates  upon  the  high  peak, 
exactly  opposite  the  cave,  looking  down  upon  my 
hunting-ground  of  the  day  before,  and  on  the  other 
side  of  the  ridge,  lie  Bertram's  patinas. 

The  extreme  point  which  I  had  now  gained  forms 
one  end  of  a  horseshoe  or  amphitheatre ;  the  other 
extremity  is  a  high  mountain  exactly  opposite,  at 
about  two  miles'  distance.  The  bend  of  the  horseshoe 
forms  a  circuit  of  about  six  miles,  the  rim  of  which  is 
a  wall  of  precipices  and  steep  patina  mountains  which 
are  about  600  or  700  feet  above  the  basin  or  the 
bottom  of  the  amphitheatre.  The  tops  of  the  moun- 
tains are  covered  with  good  open  forest,  and  ribbon- 
like strips  descend  to  the  base.  The  base  forms  an 
uneven  shelf  of  great  extent,  about  2,000  feet  above 
the  villages.  This  shelf  or  valley  appears  to  have 
suffered  at  some  remote  period  from  a  terrible  inun- 
dation. Landslips  of  great  size  and  innumerable  deep 
gorges  and  ravines  furrow  the  bottom  of  the  basin, 
until  at  length  a  p^'incipal  fissure  carries  away  the 
united  streams  to  the  paddy  fields  below. 

The  cause  of  this  inundation  is  plain  enough. 
The  basin  has  been  the  receptacle  for  the  drainage  of 


176  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vn. 

an  extensive  surface  of  mountain.  This  drainage  has 
been  effected  by  innumerable  small  torrents,  which 
have  united  in  one  general  channel  through  the  valley. 
The  exit  of  this  stream  is  through  a  narrow  gorge,  by 
which  it  descends  to  the  low  country.  During  the 
period  of  heavy  rains,  a  landslip  has  evidently  choked 
up  this  passage,  and  the  exit  of  the  water  being  thus 
obstructed,  the  whole  area  of  the  valley  has  become  a 
lake.  The  accumulated  water  has  suddenly  burst 
through  the  obstruction  and  swept  everything  before 
it.  The  elk  are  \ery  fond  of  lying  under  the  preci- 
pices in  the  strips  of  jungle  already  mentioned.  When 
found  they  are  accordingly  forced  to  take  to  the  open 
country  and  come  down  to  the  basin  below,  as  they 
cannot  possibly  ascend  the  mountain  except  by  one 
or  two  remote  deer  runs.  Thus  the  whole  hunt  from 
the  find  to  the  death  is  generally  in  view. 

From  every  point  of  this  beautiful  locality  there 
is  a  boundless  and  unbroken  panorama  of  the  low 
country. 

Unfortunately,  although  the  weather  was  perfectly 
fine,  it  was  the  windy  season,  and  a  gale  swept  across 
the  mountains,  that  rendered  ears  of  little  use,  as  a 
hound's  voice  was  annihilated  in  such  a  hurricane. 
This  was  sadly  against  sport,  as  the  main  body  of 
the  pack  would  have  no  chance  of  joining  the  find- 
ing hound. 

However,  the  hounds  were  unkennelled  at  break 


CHAF.  VII.  'BLUEBEARD'  LEADS  OFF.  177 

of  day,  and,  the  tent  being  pitched  at  the  bottom 
of  the  basin,  we  commenced  a  pull  up  the  steep 
patinas,  hoping  to  find  somewhere  on  the  edge  of 
the  jungles. 

'  There's  scent  to  a  certainty ! — look  at  old  Blue- 
beard's nose  upon  the  ground,  and  the  excited 
wagging  of  his  stern.  Ploughboy  notices  it ;  now 
Gaylass — they'll  hit  it  off  presently  to  a  certainty, 
though  it's  as  cold  as  charity.  That  elk  was  feeding 
here  early  in  the  night ;  the  scent  is  four  hours  old 
if  a  minute.  There  they  go  into  the  jungle,  and  we 
shall  lose  the  elk  ten  to  one,  as  not  another  hound 
in  the  pack  will  work  it  up.  It  can't  be  helped  ;  if 
any  three  hounds  will  rouse  him  out,  those  are  the 
three.' 

For  a  couple  of  hours  we  had  sat  behind  a  rock 
sheltered  from  the  wind  watching  the  immense  pros- 
pect before  us.  The  whole  pack  were  lying  around 
us,  except  the  three  missing  hounds,  of  whom  we  had 
seen  nothing  since  they  stole  away  upon  the  cold 
scent. 

That  elk  must  have  gone  up  to  the  top  of  the 
mountains  after  feeding,  and  a  pretty  run  he  must 
be  having,  very  likely  off  to  Matturatta  Plains ;  if  so, 
good-bye  to  all  sport  for  to-day,  and  the  best  hounds 
will  be  dead  tired  for  to-morrow 

I  was  just  beginning  to  despair,  when  I  observed  a 
fine  large  buck  at  about  half  a  mile  distance  cantering 


178  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

easily  towards  us  across  an  extensive  fiat  of  table 
land.  This  surface  was  a  fine  sward,  on  the  same 
level  with  the  point  upon  which  we  sat,  but  separated 
from  us  by  two  small  wooded  ravines,  with  a  strip  of 
patina  between  them.  I  at  once  surmised  that  this 
was  the  hunted  elk,  although  as  yet  no  hounds  were 
visible. 

On  arrival  at  the  first  ravine,  he  immediately  de- 
scended, and  shortly  after  he  reappeared  on  the  small 
patina  between  the  two  ravines,  within  300  yards  of 
us.  Here,  the  strong  gale  gave  him  our  scent.  It 
was  a  beautiful  sight  to  see  him  halt  in  an  instant, 
and,  drawing  up  to  his  full  height,  sniff  the  warning 
breeze  and  wind  the  enemy  before  him. 

Just  at  this  moment  I  heard  old  '  Bluebeard's' 
deep  note  swelling  in  the  distance,  and  I  saw  him 
leading  across  the  table-land  as  true  as  gold  upon  the 
track;  *  Ploughboy'  and  '  Gay  lass'  were  both  with 
him,  but  they  were  running  mute. 

The  buck  heard  the  hounds  as  well  as  we  did,  and 
I  was  afraid  that  the  whole  pack  would  also  catch  the 
sound,  and,  by  hurrying  towards  it,  would  head  the 
elk  and  turn  him  from  his  course.  Up  to  the  present 
time  they  had  not  observed  him. 

Still  the  buck  stood  in  an  attitude  of  acute  sus- 
pense. He  winded  an  enemy  before  him,  and  he 
heard  another  behind,  which  was  rapidly  closing  up, 
and,  as  though  doubting  his  own  power  of  scent,  he 


CHAP.  vii.  DANGER  AHEAD,  179 

gave  preference  to  that  of  hearing,  and  gallantly  con- 
tinued his  course  and  entered  the  second  ravine  just 
beneath  our  feet. 

I  immediately  jumped  up,  and,  exciting  the 
hounds  in  a  subdued  voice,  I  waved  my  cap  at  the 
spot,  and  directed  a  native  to  run  at  full  speed  to  the 
jungle,  to  endeavour  to  meet  the  elk,  as  I  knew  the 
hounds  would  then  follow  him.  This  they  did  ;  and 
they  all  entered  the  jungle  with  the  man,  except 
the  three  greyhounds,  *  Lucifer,'  '  Bran,'  and  '  Hecate,' 
who  remained  with  me. 

A  short  time  passed  in  breathless  suspense ;  during 
which  the  voices  of  the  three  following  hounds  rapidly 
approached  as  they  steadily  persevered  in  the  long 
chase  ;  when  suddenly,  as  I  had  expected,  the  main 
body  of  the  pack  met  the  elk  in  the  strip  of  jungle. 

Joyful  must  have  been  the  burst  of  music  to  the 
ears  of  old  *  Bluebeard '  after  his  long  run.  Out 
crashed  the  buck  upon  the  patinas  near  the  spot 
where  the  pack  had  entered,  and  away  he  went  over 
the  grassy  hills,  at  a  pace  which  soon  left  the  hounds 
behind.  The  greyhounds  will  stretch  his  legs  for 
him.  Yo-i-ck  to  him,  Lucifer!  For-r-r-ard  to  him, 
Hecate  ! 

Off  dashed  the  three  greyhounds  from  my  side  at 
a  railway  pace ;  but,  as  the  buck  was  above  them  and 
had  a  start  of  about  2CX)  yards,  in  such  an  uphill  race, 


f8o  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

both  Bran  and  Lucifer  managed  to  lose  sight  of  him 
in  the  undulations. 

Now  was  the  time  for  Hecate's  enormous  power  of 
loin  and  thigh  to  tell,  and,  never  losing  a  moment's 
view  of  her  game,  she  sped  up  the  steep  mountain 
side,  and  was  soon  after  seen  within  fifty  yards  of  the 
buck  all  alone,  but  going  like  a  rocket. 

Now  she  has  turned  him ! — that  pace  could  not 
last  up  hill,  and  round  the  elk  doubled,  and  came 
flying  down  the  mountain  side. 

From  the  point  of  the  hill  upon  which  we  stood  we 
had  a  splendid  view  of  the  course  ;  the  bitch  gained 
upon  him  at  every  bound,  and  there  was  a  pitiless 
dash  in  her  style  of  going  that  boded  little  mercy  to 
her  game.  What  alarmed  me,  however,  was  the 
direction  that  the  buck  was  taking.  An  abrupt  pre- 
cipice of  about  250  feet  was  lying  exactly  in  his  path  ; 
this  sunk  sheer  down  to  a  lower  series  of  grass  lands. 

At  the  tremendous  pace  at  which  they  were  going 
I  feared  lest  their  own  impetus  should  carry  both  elk 
and  dog  to  destruction  before  they  could  see  the 
danger. 

Down  they  flew  with  unabated  speed  ;  they  neared 
the  precipice,  and  a  few  more  seconds  would  bring 
them  to  the  verge. 

The  stride  of  the  buck  was  no  match  for  the  bound 
of  the  greyhound  :  the  bitch  was  at  his  flanks !  .and 
he  pressed  along  at  flying  speed. 


CHAP.  VII.  THE  ELK'S  LEAP.  i8i 

He  was  close  to  the  danger !  and  it  was  still 
unseen !  a  moment  more,  and  '  Hecate '  sprang  at  his 
ear.  Fortunately,  she  lost  her  hold  as  the  ear  split. 
This  check  saved  her.  I  shouted  *  he'll  be  over  1 '  and 
the  next  instant  he  was  flying  through  the  air  to 
headlong  destruction ! 

Bounding  from  a  projecting  rock  upon  which  he 
struck,  he  flew  outwards,  and,  with  frightfully  in- 
creasing momentum,  he  spun  round  and  round  in  his 
descent,  until  the  centrifugal  motion  drew  out  his  legs 
and  neck  as  straight  as  a  line.  A  few  seconds  of  this 
multiplying  velocity,  and  ....  crash  ! 

It  was  all  over.  The  bitch  had  pulled  up  on  the 
very  brink  of  the  precipice,  but  it  was  a  narrow 
escape. 

Sportsmen  are  contradictory  creatures.  If  that 
buck  had  come  to  bay,  I  should  have  known  no  better 
sport  than  going  in  at  him  with  the  knife  to  the 
assistance  of  the  pack  ;  but  I  now  felt  a  great  amount 
of  compassion  for  the  poor  brute  who  had  met  so 
terrible  a  fate.  It  did  not  seem/<a;/r;  and  yet  I  would 
not  have  missed  such  a  sight  for  anything.  Nothing 
can  be  conceived  more  terribly  grand  than  the  rush 
of  so  large  an  animal  through  the  air  ;  and  it  was  a 
curious  circumstance,  that  within  a  few  days  no  less 
than  two  bucks  had  gone  over  precipices,  although  I 
had  never  witnessed  such  an  accident  more  than  once 
before. 


f82  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ^^l. 

Upon  reaching  the  fatal  spot  I  of  course  found  him 
lying  stone  dead.  He  had  fallen  at  least  250  feet,  to 
the  base  of  the  precipice  ;  and  the  ground  being 
covered  with  detached  fragments  of  rock,  he  had 
broken  most  of  his  bones,  besides  bursting  his  paunch 
and  smashing  in  the  face.  However,  we  cut  him  up 
and  cleaned  him,  and,  with  the  native  followers  heavily 
laden,  we  reached  the  tent. 

The  following  morning  I  killed  another  fine  buck 
after  a  good  run  on  the  patinas,  where  he  was  coursed 
and  pulled  down  by  the  greyhounds ;  but  the  wind 
was  so  very  high,  that  it  destroyed  the  pleasure  of 
hunting.  I  therefore  determined  on  another  move, — 
to  the  Matturatta  Plains,  within  three  miles  of  my 
present  hunting  ground. 

After  hunting  four  days  at  the  Matturatta  Plains, 
I  moved  on  to  the  Elephant  Plains ;  and  from  thence 
returned  home,  after  twelve  days*  absence,  having 
killed  twelve  elk  and  two  red  deer. 

The  animal  known  as  the  *  red  deer '  in  Ceylon  is 
a  very  different  creature  to  his  splendid  namesake  in 
Scotland  ;  he  is  particularly  unlike  a  deer  in  the  dis- 
proportionate size  of  his  carcass  to  his  length  of  leg. 
He  stands  about  twenty-six  inches  high  at  the 
shoulder,  and  weighs  (live  weight)  from  forty-five  to 
fifty  pounds.  He  has  two  sharp  tusks  in  the  upper 
jaw.  projecting  abou"^  an  inch  and  a  half  from  the 
gum      These  are  exactly  like  the  lower- jaw  tusks  of 


CHAP.  VII  VARIETY  OF  DEER.  183 

a  boar ;  but  they  incline  in  the  contrary  direction, 
viz.,  downwards,  and  they  are  used  as  weapons  of 
defence. 

The  horns  of  the  red  deer  seldom  exceed  eight 
inches  in  length,  and  have  no  more  than  two  points 
upon  each  antler,  formed  by  a  fork-like  termination. 
This  kind  of  deer  has  no  brow  antler.  They  are  very 
fast,  and  excel  especially  in  going  up  hill  ;  in  which 
ground  they  frequently  escape  from  the  best  grey- 
hounds. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  red-deer  venison  is  the 
best  in  Ceylon ;  but  the  animal  itself  is  not  generally 
sought  after  for  sport.  He  gives  a  most  uninteresting 
run ;  never  going  straight  away  like  a  deer,  but 
doubling  about  over  fifty  acres  of  ground  like  a  hare, 
until  he  is  at  last  run  into  and  killed.  They  exist  in 
extraordinary  numbers  throughout  every  portion  of 
Ceylon,  but  are  never  seen  in  herds. 

Next  to  the  red  deer  is  the  still  more  tiny  species, 
the  *  mouse  deer.'  This  animal  seldom  exceeds  twelve 
inches  in  height,  and  has  the  same  characteristic  as 
the  red  deer  in  the  heavy  proportion  of  body  to  its 
small  length  of  limb.  The  skin  is  a  mottled  ash-grey, 
covered  with  dark  spots.  The  upper  jaw  is  furnished 
with  sharp  tusks  similar  to  the  red  deer ;  but  the  head 
is  free  from  horns. 

The  skull  is  perfectly  unlike  the  head  of  a  deer, 
and  is  closely  allied  to  the  rat  ;  which  it  would  exactly 


l84  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vil. 

resemble,  were  it  not  for  the  difference  in  the  teeth. 
The  mouse  deer  lives  principally  upon  berries  and 
fruits ;  but  I  have  seldom  found  much  herbage  upon 
examination  of  the  paunch.  Some  people  consider 
the  flesh  very  good ;  but  my  ideas  perhaps  give  it  a 
*  ratty '  flavour  that  makes  it  unpalatable. 

These  little  deer  make  for  some  well-known  retreat 
the  moment  that  they  are  disturbed  by  dogs,  and  they 
are  usually  found  after  a  short  run  safely  ensconced 
in  a  hollow  tree. 

It  is  a  very  singular  thing,  that  none  of  the  deer 
tribe  in  Ceylon  have  more  than  six  points  on  their 
horns,  viz.,  three  upon  each.  These  are,  the  brow 
antler  point,  and  the  two  which  form  the  extremity  of 
each  horn.  I  have  seen  them  occasionally  with  more  ; 
but  these  were  deformities  in  the  antlers. 

A  stranger  is  always  disappointed  in  a  Ceylon 
elk's  antlers  ;  and  very  naturally,  for  they  are  quite 
out  of  proportion  to  the  great  size  of  the  animal.  A 
very  large  Scotch  red  deer  is  not  more  than  two-thirds 
the  size  of  a  moderately  fine  elk,  and  yet  he  carries  a 
better  head  of  horns. 

In  fact,  so  rare  are  fine  antlers  in  Ceylon,  that  I 
could  not  pick  out  more  than  a  dozen  of  really  hand- 
some elk  horns  out  of  the  great  numbers  that  I  have 
killed. 

A  handsome  pair  of  antlers  is  a  grand  addition  to 
the  beauty  of  a  fine  buck,  and  gives  a  majesty  to  his 


CHAP.  VII.  THE  AXIS.  185 

bearing  which  is  greatly  missed  when  a  fine  animal 
breaks  cover  with  only  a  puny  head.  There  is  as 
great  a  difference  in  his  appearance  as  there  would  be 
in  a  life-guardsman  in  full  uniform  or  in  his  shirt. 

The  antlers  of  the  axis,  or  spotted  deer,  are 
generally  longer  than  those  of  the  elk ;  they  are  also 
more  slender  and  graceful.  Altogether  the  spotted 
deer  is  about  the  handsomest  of  that  beautiful  tribe. 
A  fine  stag  is  the  perfection  of  elegance,  colour, 
strength,  courage,  and  speed.  He  has  a  proud  and 
thorough-bred  way  of  carrying  his  head,  which  is  set 
upon  his  neck  with  a  peculiar  grace.  Nothing  can 
surpass  the  beauty  of  his  full  black  eye.  His  hide  is 
as  sleek  as  satin  ;  a  rich  brown,  slightly  tinged  with 
red,  and  spotted  as  though  mottled  with  flakes  of 
snow.     His  weight  is  about  250  pounds  (alive). 

It  is  a  difficult  thing  to  judge  of  a  deer's  weight 
with  any  great  accuracy ;  but  I  do  not  think  I  am  far 
out  in  my  estimation  of  their  average,  as  I  tried  the 
experiment  by  weighing  a  dead  elk.  I  had  always 
considered  that  a  mountain  elk,  which  is  smaller  than 
those  of  the  1  ow  country,  weighed  about  400  pounds  when 
cleaned,  or  550  pounds  live  weight.  I  happened  one 
day  to  kill  an  average  sized  buck,  though  with  very 
small  horns,  close  to  the  road,  so,  having  cleaned  him, 
I  sent  a  cart  for  his  carcass  on  my  return  home.  This 
elk  I  weighed  whole,  minus  his  inside,  and  he  was  411 
pounds.     Many  hours  had  elapsed  since  his  death,  so 


r86  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

that  the  carcass  must  have  lost  much  weight  by 
drying  ;  this,  with  the  loss  of  blood  and  offal,  must 
have  been  at  least  150  pounds,  which  would  have 
made  his  live  weight  561  pounds. 

Of  the  five  different  species  of  deer  in  Ceylon 
the  spotted  deer  is  alone  seen  upon  the  plains.  No 
climate  can  be  too  hot  for  his  exotic  constitution,  and 
he  is  never  found  at  a  higher  elevation  than  3,000  feet 
In  the  low  country,  when  the  mid-day  sun  has  driven, 
every  other  beast  to  the  shelter  of  the  densest  jungles, 
the  sultan  of  the  herd  and  his  lovely  mates  are  some- 
times contented  with  the  shade  of  an  isolated  tree,  or 
the  simple  border  of  the  jungle  ;  where  they  drowsily 
pass  the  day,  flapping  their  long  ears  in  listless  idle- 
ness until  the  hotter  hours  have  passed  away.  At 
about  four  in  the  afternoon  they  stroll  upon  the  open 
plains,  bucks,  does,  and  fawns,  in  beautiful  herds  ; 
when  undisturbed,  as  many  as  a  hundred  together. 
This  is  the  only  species  of  deer  in  Ceylon  that  is 
gregarious. 

Neither  the  spotted  deer,  nor  the  bear  or  buffalo, 
is  to  be  found  at  Newera  Ellia.  The  axis  and  the 
buffalo,  being  the  usual  denizens  of  the  hottest 
countries,  are  not  expected  to  exist  in  their  natural 
state  in  so  low  a  temperature  ;  but  it  is  extraordinary 
that  the  bear,  who  in  most  countries  inhabits  the 
mountains,  should  m  Ceylon  adhere  exclusively  to  the 
low  country. 


CHAP.  VII.  CEYLON  BEARS.  '  187 

The  Ceylon  bear  is  of  that  species  which  is  to  be 
seen  in  the  Zoological  Gardens,  as  the  '  sloth  bear  ; ' 
an  ill-bred-looking  fellow  with  a  long-haired  black 
coat  and  a  grey  face. 

A  Ceylon  bear's  skin  is  not  worth  preserving  ;  there 
is  no  fur  upon  it,  but  it  simply  consists  of  rather  a 
stingy  allowance  of  black  hairs.  This  is  the  natural  effect 
of  his  perpetual  residence  in  a  hot  country,  where  the 
coat  adapts  itself  to  the  climate.  He  is  desperately 
savage,  and  is  more  feared  by  the  natives  than  any 
other  animal,  as  he  is  in  the  constant  habit  of  attack- 
ing people  without  the  slightest  provocation.  His 
mode  of  attack  increases  the  danger,  as  there  is  a 
great  want  of  fair  play  in  his  method  of  fighting. 
Lying  in  wait,  either  behind  a  rock  or  in  a  thick  bush, 
he  makes  a  sudden  spring  upon  the  unwary  wanderer, 
and  in  a  moment  he  attacks  the  face  with  teeth  and 
claws.  The  latter  are  about  ^wo  inches  long,  and  the 
former  are  much  larger  than  a  leopard's  ;  hence  it  may 
easily  be  imagined  how  even  a  few  seconds  of  biting 
and  clawing  might  alter  the  mQst  handsome  expres- 
sion of  countenance. 

Bears  have  frequently  been  known  to  tear  off  a 
man's  face  like  a  mask,  leaving  nothing  but  the  bones 
of  a  skull. 

The  quadrupeds  of  Newera  Ellia  and  the  adjacent 
highlands  are  confined  to  the  following  classes  : — The 
elephant,  hog,   leopard,  chetah,  elk,  red  deer,  mouse 


l8S  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

deer,  hare,  otter,  jackal,  civet  cat,  mongoose,  and  two 
others  (varieties  of  the  species),  black  squirrel,  grey 
squirrel,  Wanderoo  monkey  (the  largest  species  in 
Ceylon),  the  porcupine,  and  a  great  variety  of  rats. 

Imagine  the  difficulty  of  breaking  in  a  young 
hound  for  elk  hunting,  when  the  jungles  are  swarming 
with  such  a  list  of  vermin !  The  better  the  pup,  the 
more  he  will  persevere  in  hunting  everything  that  he 
can  possibly  find  ;  and  with  such  a  variety  of  animals, 
some  of  which  have  the  most  enticing  scent,  it  is  a 
source  of  endless  trouble  in  teaching  a  young  hound 
what  to  hunt  and  what  to  avoid. 

It  is  curious  to  witness  the  sagacity  of  the  old 
hounds,  in  joining  or  despising  the  opening  note  of  a 
new  comer. 

The  jungles  are  fearfully  thick,  and  it  requires 
great  exertion  on  the  part  of  a  dog  to  force  his  way 
through  from  a  distance  at  a  pace  that  will  enable 
him  to  join  the  finding  hound  ;  thus  he  feels  consider- 
able disappointment,  if  upon  arrival  he  finds  the  scent 
of  a  monkey,  or  a  cat,  instead  of  his  legitimate  game. 
An  old  hound  soon  marks  the  inexperienced  voice  of 
the  babbler,  and  after  the  cry  of  'wolf  has  been 
again  repeated,  nothing  will  induce  him  to  join  the 
false  finder. 

Again,  it  is  exceedine^ly  interesting  to  observe  the 
quickness  of  all  hounds  in  acknowledging  their  leader. 
Only  let  them  catch  the  sound  of  old  '  Bluebeard's ' 


CHAF.  VII.  I'RIALS  FOR  HOUNDS.  189 

voice,  and  see  the  dash  with  which  they  rush 
through  the  jungle  to  join  him.  They  know  the  old 
fellow's  note  is  true  to  an  elk  or  hog,  and,  with  im- 
plicit confidence  in  his  '  find/  they  never  hesitate  to 
join. 

There  are  numerous  obstacles  to  the  breaking  and 
training  of  dogs  of  all  kinds  in  such  a  country.  A 
hound  when  once  in  the  jungle  is  his  own  mastei 
He  obeys  the  sound  of  the  halloo  or  the  horn,  or  not, 
as  he  thinks  proper.  It  is  impossible  to  correct  him, 
as  he  is  out  of  sight. 

Now,  the  very  fact  of  having  one  or  two  first-rate 
finders  in  a  pack,  will  very  likely  be  the  cause  of 
spoiling  the  other  hounds.  After  repeated  experience, 
their  instinct  soon  shows  them  that,  no  matter  how 
the  whole  pack  may  hunt,  the  '  find  '  will  be  achieved 
by  one  of  the  first-rate  hounds,  and  gradually  they 
give  up  hunting,  and  take  to  listening  for  the  opening 
note  of  the  favourite.  Of  course  in  an  open  country 
they  would  be  kept  to  their  work  by  the  whip  ;  but  at 
Newera  EUia  this  is  impossible.  This  accounts  for  the 
extreme  paucity  of  first-rate  *  finders.' 

Hunting  in  a  wild  country  is  a  far  more  difficult 
task  for  hounds  than  the  ordinary  chase  at  home. 
Wherever  a  country  is  cultivated,  it  must  be  enclosed. 
Thus,  should  a  flock  of  sheep  have  thrown  the  hounds 
out  by  crossing  the  scent,  a  cast  round  the  fences  must 
soon  hit  it  off  again,  if  the  fox  has  left  the  field.    But 


I90  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

in  elk  hunting  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  assist  the 
hounds;  a  dozen  different  animals,  or  even  a 
disturbed  elk,  may  cross  the  scent  in  parts  of  the 
jungle  where  the  cry  of  the  hounds  is  even  out  of 
hearing.  Again,  an  elk  has  a  constant  habit  of  run- 
ning or  swimming  down  a  river,  his  instinct  prompting 
him  to  drown  his  own  scent,  and  thus  throw  off  his 
pursuers.  Here  is  a  trial  for  the  hounds ! — the  elk 
has  waded  or  swum  down  the  stream,  and  the  baffled 
pack  arrive  upon  the  bank ;  their  cheering  music  has 
ceased  ;  the  elk  has  kept  the  water  for  perhaps  a  quarter 
of  a  mile,  or  he  may  have  landed  several  times  during 
that  distance,  and  agrain  have  taken  to  water. 

Now  the  young  hounds  dash  thoughtlessly  across 
the  river,  thinking  of  nothing  but  a  straight  course, 
and  they  are  thrown  out  on  the  barren  bank  on  the 
other  side.  Back  they  come  again,  wind  about  the 
last  track  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  they  are  forced 
to  give  it  up  ;  — they  are  thrown  out  altogether. 

Mark  the  staunch  old  hounds  !  — one  has  crossed 
the  river  ;  there  is  no  scent,  but  he  strikes  down  the 
bank  with  his  nose  close  to  the  ground,  and  away  he 
goes  along  the  edge  of  the  river  casting  for  a  scent. 
Now  mark  old  '  Bluebeard,'  swimming  steadily  down 
the  stream  ;  he  knowns  the  habits  of  his  game  as 
well  as  I  do,  and  two  to  one  that  he  will  find,  although 
*  Ploughboy'  has  just  started  along  the  near  bank;  so, 
that  both  sides  of  the  river  are  being  hunted. 


CHAP.  VII.         HOUNDS  AND    THEIR  MASTERS,  191 

This  is  what  I  call  difficult  hunting  ;  bad  enough 
if  the  huntsman  be  up  to  assist  his  hounds,  but  nine 
times  out  of  ten  this  happens  in  the  middle  of  a  run 
without  a  soul  within  a  mile. 

The  only  way  to  train  hounds  in  this  style  of 
country  is  to  accustom  them  to  complete  obedience 
from  puppyhood.  This  is  easily  effected  by  taking 
them  out  for  exercise  upon  a  road,  coupled  to  old 
hounds.  A  good  walk  every  morning,  accompanied 
by  the  horn  and  the  whip,  and  they  soon  fall  into 
such  a  habit  of  obedience  that  they  may  be  taken  out 
without  the  couples. 

The  great  desideratum,  then,  is  to  gain  their  affec- 
tion and  confidence,  otherwise  they  will  obey  upon 
the  road,  and  laugh  at  you  when  in  the  jungle.  Now 
*  affection '  is  a  difficult  feeling  to  instil  into  a  fox- 
hound, and  can  only  be  partially  attained  by  the 
exercise  of  cupboard  love ;  thus  a  few  pieces  of  dry 
liver  or  bread,  kept  in  the  pocket  to  be  given  to  a 
young  hound  who  has  sharply  answered  to  his  call, 
will  do  more  good  than  a  month  of  scolding  and 
rating. 

'  Confidence,'  or  the  want  of  it,  in  a  hound,  de- 
pends entirely  upon  the  character  of  his  master. 
There  is  an  old  adage  of  *  like  master,  like  man ; ' 
and  this  is  strongly  displayed  in  the  hound.  The 
very  best  seizer  would  be  spoiled  if  his  master  were  a 
leetle  slow  in   going  in  with  the  knife;    and,  on  the 


102  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

Other  hand,  dogs  naturally  shy  of  danger  turn  into 
good  seizers  where  their  master  invariably  leads 
them  in. 

Not  only  is  their  confidence  required  and  gained 
at  these  times,  but  they  learn  to  place  implicit  re- 
liance upon  their  master's  knowledge  of  hunting,  in 
the  same  manner  that  they  acknowledge  the  supe- 
riority of  a  particular  hound.  This  induces  them  to 
obey  beyond  any  method  of  training,  as  they  feel 
a  certain  dependence  upon  the  man,  and  they  answer 
his  halloo  or  the  horn  without  a  moment's  hesitation. 

Nothing  is  so  likely  to  destroy  the  character  of  a 
pack  as  a  certain  amount  of  laziness  or  incapacity 
upon  the  master's  part  m  following  them  up.  This  is 
natural  enough,  as  the  best  hounds,  if  repeatedly  left 
unassisted  for  hours  when  at  bay  with  their  game, 
until  they  are  regularly  beaten  off,  will  lose  their 
relish  for  the  sport.  On  the  other  hand,' perseverance 
on  the  huntsman's  part  will  ensure  a  corresponding 
amount  in  the  hound's  ;  they  will  become  so  accus- 
tomed to  the  certain  appearance  of  their  master  at 
the  bay  at  some  time  or  other,  that  they  will  stick  to 
their  game  till  night.  I  have  frequently  killed  elk  at 
two  or  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  that  have  been 
found  at  six  in  the  morning.  Sometimes  I  have 
killed  them  even  later  than  this,  when,  after  wander- 
ing fruitlessly  the  whole  day  in  every  direction  but 
the  right  one,  my  ears  have  at  length  been  gladdened 


CHAP.   VI I.  A   SPORTSMAN   'SHUT   UP.'  193 

by  the  distant  sound  of  the  bay.  The  particular 
moment  when  hope  and  certainty  combined,  reward 
the  day's  toil,  is  the  very  quintessence  of  joy  and 
delight.  Nothing  in  the  shape  of  enjoyment  can 
come  near  it.  What  a  strange  power  has  that  help- 
less looking  mass — the  brain  !  One  moment,  and  the 
limbs  are  fagged,  the  shins  are  tender  with  breaking 
all  the  day  through  the  densest  jungles,  the  feet  are 
worn  with  unrequited  labour,  and  hark  ! !  The  bay  ! 
— no  doubt  of  it — the  bay  !  There  is  the  magic  spell 
which,  acting  on  the  brain,  flies  through  every  nerve. 
New  legs,  new  feet,  new  everything,  in  a  moment ! 
fresh  as  though  just  out  of  bed  ;  here  we  go  tearing 
through  the  jungle  like  a  buffalo,  and  as  happy  as 
though  we  had  just  come  in  for  a  fortune — happier 
a  great  deal. 

Nevertheless,  elk  hunting  is  not  a  general  taste,  as 
people  have  not  opportunities  of  enjoying  it  con- 
stantly. Accordingly,  they  are  out  of  condition,  and 
soon  become  distressed,  and  of  necessity  '  shut  up '  (a 
vulgar  but  expressive  term).  This  must  be  fine  fun 
for  a  total  stranger  rather  inclined  to  corpulency,  who 
has  dauntlessly  persevered  in  keeping  up  with  the 
huntsman  although  at  some  personal  inconvenience. 
There  is  a  limit  to  all  endurance,  and  he  is  obliged  to 
stop :  quite  blown,  completely  done.  He  loses  all 
sounds  of  hounds,  and  huntsman,  and  everything  con- 
nected with  the  hunt.     Where  is  he  ?     How  horrible 


£94  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

the  idea  that  flashes  across  his  mind ;  he  has  no  idea 
where  he  is,  except  that  he  is  quite  certain  that  he  is 
in  some  jungle  in  Ceylon. 

Distraction  !  Ceylon  is  nearly  all  jungle,  280  miles 
long,  and  he  is  in  this — somewhere.  He  tries  to 
recollect  by  what  route  he  has  come.  Impossible  ! 
He  has  been  up  one  mountain,  and  then  he  turned  to 
the  right,  and  got  into  a  ravine ;  he  recollects  the 
ravine,  for  he  fell  on  his  head,  with  the  end  of  a  dead 
stick  in  his  stomach  just  as  he  got  to  the  bottom  ;  he 
forgets  every  other  part  of  his  route,  simply  having 
an  idea  that  he  went  down  a  great  many  ravines,  and 
up  a  number  of  hills,  and  turned  to  the  right  and  left 
several  times.  He  gives  it  up ;  he  finds  himself  '  lost,' 
and,  if  he  is  sensible,  he  will  sit  down  and  wait  till 
someone  comes  to  look  for  him,  when  he  will  start 
with  joy  at  the  glad  sound  of  the  horn.  But  should 
he  attempt  to  find  his  way  alone  through  those  path- 
less jungles,  he  will  only  increase  his  distance  from 
the  right  course. 

One  great  advantage  in  Newera  Ellia  is  the  com- 
parative freedom  from  poisonous  vermin.  There  are 
three  varieties  of  snakes,  only  one  of  which  is  hurtful, 
and  all  are  very  minute.  The  venomous  species  is 
the  * carrawell^,*  whose  bite  is  generally  fatal;  but 
this  is  not  often  met  with.  There  are  neither  ticks, 
bugs,  leeches,  scorpions,  white  ants,  wasps,  nor  mos- 
quitoes ;    in  fact,  there  is  nothing  venomous  except 


CHAP.  VII.       A    CORPORAL   AND   CENTIPEDE.  195 

the  snake  alluded  to,  and  a  small  species  of  centipede. 
Fleas  there  are  certainly  ;  indeed,  a  fair  sprinkling  of 
fleas  ;  but  they  are  not  troublesome,  except  in  houses 
which  are  unoccupied  during  a  portion  of  the  year. 
There  is  a  peculiarity  of  a  Ceylon  flea — he  is  a  great 
colonist ;  and  should  a  house  be  untenanted  for  a 
few  months,  so  sure  will  it  be  occupied  by  these 
*  settlers.'  Even  a  grass  hut  built  for  a  night's 
bivouac  in  the  jungle,  without  a  flea  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, will  literally  swarm  with  them  if  deserted  for 
a  couple  of  months.  Fleas  have  a  great  fancy  for 
settling  upon  anything  white ;  thus  a  person  with  white 
trowsers  will  be  blackened  with  them,  while  a  man  in 
darker  colours  will  be  comparatively  free.  I  at  first 
supposed  that  they  appeared  in  larger  numbers  on 
the  white  ground  because  they  were  more  easily  dis- 
tinguished ;  but  I  tried  the  experiment  of  putting  a 
sheet  of  writing-paper  and  a  piece  of  brown  talipot 
leaf  in  the  midst  of  fleas,  the  paper  was  covered 
with  them,  while  only  two  or  three  were  on  the 
talipot. 

The  bite  of  the  small  species  of  centipede  alluded 
to  is  not  very  severe,  being  about  equivalent  to  a 
wasp's  sting.  I  have  been  bitten  myself,  and  I  have 
seen  another  person  suffering  from  the  bite,  which  was 
ludicrous  enough. 

The  sufferer  was  Corporal  Phinn,  of  H.M.  15th 
Regiment.     At  that  time  he  was  one  of  Lieutenant 


196  EIGHT   YEARS  m  CEYLON.  chap.  vii. 

De  Montenach's  servants,  and  had  accompanied  his 
master  on  a  hunting  trip  to  the  Horton  Plains. 

Now  Phinn  was  an  Irishman ;  an  excellent  fellow, 
a  dead  hand  at  tramping  a  bog,  and  killing  a  snipe  ; 
but  (without  the  slightest  intention  of  impugning  his 
veracity)  Phinn's  ideality  was  largely  developed. 
He  was  never  .by  himself  for  five  minutes  in  the 
jungle,  without  having  seen  something  wonderful 
before  his  return  :  this  he  was  sure  to  relate  in  a  rich 
brogue  with  great  facetiousness. 

However,  we  had  just  finished  dinner  one  night, 
and  Phinn  had  then  taken  his  master's  vacant  place 
(there  being  only  one  room)  to  commence  his  own 
meal,  when  up  he  jumped  like  a  madman  spluttering 
the  food  out  of  his  mouth,  and  shouting  and  skipping 
about  the  room  with  both  hands  clutched  tightly  to 
the  hinder  part  of  his  inexpressibles.  '  Och,  by  Jasus  ! 
help,  sir,  help !  I've  a  reptile  or  some  divil  up  my 
breeches !  Och !  bad  luck  to  him,  he's  biting  me  ! 
Och  !  Och  I  it's  sure  a  sarpint  that's  stinging  me  ! 
quick,  sir,  or  he'll  be  the  death  o'  me  ! ' 

Phinn  was  frantic,  and  upon  lowering  his  inex- 
pressibles we  found  the  centipede  about  four  inches 
long  which  had  bitten  him.  A  little  brandy  rubbed 
on  the  part  soon  relieved  the  paia 


197 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

Observations  on  Nature  in  the  Tropics  The  Dung  Beetle — The  Mason 
Fly  — Spiders— Luminous  Insects  -  Efforts  of  a  Naturalist  Dogs 
Worried  by  Leeches — Tropical  Diseases — Malaria— Causes  of  In- 
fection—Disappearance of  the  *  Mina'  — Poisonous  Water— Well- 
digging  Elephants. 

How  little  can  the  inhabitant  of  a  cold  or  temperate 
climate  appreciate  the  vast  amount  of  *  life '  in  a 
tropical  country !  The  combined  action  of  light, 
heat,  and  moisture,  calls  into  existence  myriads  of 
creeping  things,  the  offspring  of  the  decay  of  vegeta- 
tion. *  Life '  appears  to  emanate  from  *  death  ' — 
the  destruction  of  one  material  seems  to  multiply 
the  existence  of  another, — the  whole  surface  of 
the  earth  seems  busied  in  one  vast  system  of  giving 
birth. 

An  animal  dies — a  solitary  beast — and  before  his 
unit  life  has  vanished  for  one  week,  how  many 
millions  of  living  creatures  owe  their  birth  to  his 
death  ?  What  countless  swarms  of  insects  have 
risen  from  that  one  carcass ;  creatures  which  never 
could  have  been  brought  into  existence  were  it  not 


198  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.         chAp.  viii. 

for  the  presence  of  one  dead  body  which  has  received 
and  hatched  the  deposited  eggs  of  millions  that  other- 
wise would  have  remained  unvivified  ! 

Not  a  tree  falls,  not  a  withered  flower  droops  to 
the  ground,  not  a  fruit  drops  from  the  exhausted 
bough,  but  it  is  instantly  attacked  by  the  class  of 
insect  prepared  by  Nature  for  its  destruction.  The 
white  ant  scans  a  lofty  tree  whose  iron-like  timber 
and  giant  stem  would  seem  to  mock  at  his  puny 
efforts ;  but  it  is  rotten  at  the  core,  and  not  a  leaf 
adorns  its  branches,  and  in  less  than  a  year  it  will 
have  fallen  to  the  earth  a  mere  shell ; — the  whole  of 
the  wood  will  have  been  devoured. 

Rottenness  of  all  kmds  is  soon  carried  from  the 
face  of  the  land  by  the  wise  arrangements  of  Nature 
for  preserving  the  world  from  plagues  and  diseases, 
which  the  decaying  and  unconsumed  bodies  of 
animals  and  vegetables  would  otherwise  engender. 

How  beautiful  are  all  the  laws  of  Nature  ;  how 
perfect  in  their  details  !  Allow  that  the  great  duty 
of  the  insect  tribe  is  to  cleanse  the  earth  and  atmo- 
sphere from  countless  impurities  noxious  to  the  human 
race — how  great  a  plague  would  our  benefactors 
themselves  become,  were  it  not  for  the  various  classes 
of  carnivorous  insects  which  prey  upon  them,  and  are 
in  their  turn  the  prey  of  others  !  It  is  a  grand  prin- 
ciple of  continual  strife  which  keeps  all  and  each 
down  to  their  required  level. 


CHAP.  VIII.         OBSERVATION   OF  NATURE.  190 

A  feast  for  an  observant  mind  is  afforded  in  a 
tropical  country.  The  variety  and  the  multitude  of 
living  things  are  so  great  that  a  person  of  only 
ordinary  observation  cannot  help  acquiring  a  tolerable 
knowledge  of  the  habits  of  some  of  the  most  interest- 
ing classes.  In  the  common  routine  of  daily  life, 
they  are  continually  in  his  view,  and  even  should  he 
have  no  taste  for  the  study  of  Nature  and  her  pro- 
ductions, still  one  prevailing  characteristic  of  the 
insect  tribe  must  impress  itself  upon  his  mind.  It  is 
the  natural  instinct  not  simply  of  procreating  their 
species,  but  of  laying  by  a  provision  for  their  expected 
offspring.  What  a  lesson  to  mankind !  what  an  ex- 
ample to  the  nurtured  mind  of  man  from  one  of  the 
lowest  classes  of  living  things  ! 

Here  we  see  no  rash  matrimonial  engagements  ; 
no  penniless  lovers,  selfishly  and  indissolubly  linked 
together  to  propagate  large  families  of  starving 
children.  All  the  arrangements  of  the  insect  tribe, 
though  prompted  by  sheer  instinct,  are  conducted 
with  a  degree  of  rationality  that  in  some  cases  raises 
the  mere  instinct  of  the  creeping  thing  above  the 
assumed  '  reason  '  of  man. 

The  bird  builds  her  nest,  and  carefully  provides 
for  the  comfort  of  her  young  long  ere  she  lays  her 
fragile  ^g^.  Even  look  at  that  vulgar  looking  beetle, 
whose  coarse  form  would  banish  the  idea  of  any 
rational  feeling  existing  in  its  brain — the  Billingsgate 


200  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON  chap.  viii. 

fish-woman  of  its  tribe,  in  coarseness  and  rudeness  of 
exterior  (Scarabceus  carnifex) — see  with  what  quick- 
ness she  is  running  backwards,  raised  almost  upon 
her  head,  while  with  her  hind  legs  she  trundles  a 
large  ball— herself  no  bigger  than  a  nutmeg,  the  ball 
is  four  times  the  size.  There  she  goes  along  the 
smooth  road.  The  ball  she  has  just  manufactured 
from  some  fresh-dropped  horsedung  ;  it  is  as  round  as 
though  turned  by  a  lathe,  and,  although  the  dung  has 
not  lain  an  hour  upon  the  ground,  she  and  her  con- 
federates have  portioned  out  the  spoil,  and  each  has 
started  off  with  her  separate  ball.  Not  a  particle  of 
horsedung  remains  upon  the  road.  Now  she  has 
rolled  the  ball  away  from  the  hard  road,  and  upon  the 
soft  sandy  border  she  has  stopped  to  rest.  No  great 
amount  of  rest ;  she  plunges  her  head  into  the  ground, 
and  with  that  shovel-like  projection  of  stout  horn,  she 
mines  her  way  below  :  she  has  disappeared  even  in 
these  few  seconds  ! 

Presently  the  apparently  deserted  ball  begins  to 
move,  as  though  acted  upon  by  some  subterranean 
force  ;  gradually  it  sinks  to  the  earth,  and  it  vanishes 
altogether. 

Some  persons  might  imagine  that  the  beetle  feeds 
upon  the  ordure,  and  that  she  has  buried  her  store  as 
a  dog  hides  a  bone  ;  but  this  is  not  the  case :  she  has 
formed  a  receptacle  for  her  eggs,  which  she  deposits 
in  the  ball  of  dung,  the  warmth  of  which  assists  in 


CHAP.  VIII.  THE   MASON  FLY.  20I 

bringing  the  larvae  into  life,  which  then  feed  upon  the 
manure. 

It  is  wonderful  to  observe  with  what  rapidity  all 
kinds  of  dung  are  removed  by  these  beetles.  This  is 
effected  by  the  active  process  of  rolling  the  loads 
instead  of  carrying,  by  which  method  a  large  mass  is 
transported  at  once. 

The  mason  fly  is  also  a  ball  maker ;  but  she 
carries  her  load,  and  builds  an  elaborate  nest.  This 
insect  belongs  to  the  order  Hymenoptera,  and  is  of 
the  Ichneumon  tribe,  being  a  variety  of  upwards  of 
four  hundred  species  of  that  interesting  fly. 

The  whole  tribe  of  Ichneumon  are  celebrated  foi 
their  courage ;  a  small  fly  will  not  hesitate  to  attack 
the  largest  cockroach,  who  evinces  the  greatest  terror 
at  sight  of  his  well-known  enemy ;  but  the  greatest 
proof  of  valour  in  a  fly  is  displayed  in  the  war  of  the 
Ichneumon  against  the  spider. 

There  is  a  great  variety  of  this  insect  in  Ceylon, 
from  the  large  black  species,  the  size  of  the  hornet, 
down  to  the  minute  tinsel-green  fly,  no  bigger  than 
a  gnat ;  but  every  one  of  these  different  species  wages 
perpetual  war  against  the  arch-enemy  of  flies. 

In  very  dry  weather  in  some  districts  when  mo.st 
pools  and  water  holes  are  dried  up,  a  pail  of  water 
thrown  upon  the  ground  will  as  assuredly  attract  a 
host  of  mason  flies  as  carrion  will  bring  together 
*blow  flies.'     They   will    be  then   seen   in    excessive 

P 


202  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap    viii. 

activity  upon  the  wet  earth,  forming  balls  of  mud,  by 
rolling  the  earth  between  their  fore  feet  until  they 
have  manufactured  each  a  pill.  With  this  they  fly 
away  to  build  their  nests,  and  immediately  return  for 
a  further  supply. 

The  arrangement  of  the  nest  is  a  matter  of  much 
consideration,  as  the  shape  depends  entirely  upon  the 
locality  in  which  it  is  built :  it  may  be  in  the  corner  of 
a  room,  or  in  a  hole  in  a  wall,  or  in  the  hollow  of  a 
bamboo  ;  but  wherever  it  is,  the  principle  is  the  same, 
although  the  shape  of  the  nest  may  vary.  Every 
thing  is  to  be  hermetically  sealed. 

The  mason  fly  '-ommences  by  flattening  the  first 
pill  of  clay  upon  the  intended  site  (say  the  corner  of 
a  room) ;  she  then  spreads  it  in  a  thin  layer  over  a 
surface  of  about  two  inches,  and  retires  for  another 
ball  of  cement.  This  she  dabs  upon  the  plastic 
foundation,  and  continues  the  apparently  rude  opera- 
tion until  some  twenty  or  thirty  pills  of  clay  are 
adhering  at  equal  distances.  She  then  forms  these 
into  a  number  of  neat  oval-shaped  cells,  about  the  size 
of  a  wren's  ^^^ ;  and  in  each  cell  she  deposits  one 
^^,  She  then  flies  off"  in  search  of  spiders,  which 
are  to  be  laid  up  in  stores  within  the  cells  as  food  for 
the  young  larvai  when  hatched. 

Now  the  transition  from  the  larva  to  the  fly  takes 
place  in  the  cell,  and  occupies  about  six  weeks  from 
the  time  the  ^g'g  is  first  laid  ;  thus,  as  the  ^^'g  itself 


rHAP.  VTii.  T//£    MASQAT  fLY.  203 

is  not  vivified  for  some  weeks  after  it  is  deposited,  the 
spiders  have  to  be  preserved  in  a  sound  and  fresh  state 
during  that  interval  until  the  larva  is  in  such  ar 
advanced  stage  as  to  require  food. 

In  a  tropical  country  every  one  knows  that  a  very 
few  hours  occasion  the  putrefaction  of  all  dead  anima^ 
substances  ;  nevertheless  these  spiders  are  to  be  kept 
fresh  and  good,  like  our  tins  of  preserved  meats,  to  be 
eaten  when  required. 

One,  two,  or  even  three  spiders,  according  to  their 
size,  the  mason  fly  deposits  in  each  cell,  and  then 
closes  it  hermetically  with  clay.  The  spiders  she  has 
pounced  upon  while  sunning  themselves  in  the  centre 
of  their  delicate  nets,  and  they  are  hurried  off  in  a 
panic  to  be  converted  into  preserved  provisions.  Each 
cell  being  closed,  the  whole  nest  is  cemented  over  with 
a  thick  covering  of  clay.  In  due  time  the  young 
family  hatch,  eat  their  allowance  of  spiders,  undergo 
their  torpid  change,  and  emerge  from  their  clay 
mansion  complete  mason  flies. 

Every  variety  of  Ichneumon,  however  minute  (in 

Ceylon),  chooses  the  spider  as  the  food   for  its  young. 

It  is  not  at  all  uncommon  to  find  a  gun  well   loaded 

with  spiders,  clay,  and  grubs,  some  mason  fly  having 

chosen  the  barrel  for  his  location.     A  bunch  of  keys 

will  invite  a  settlement  of  one  of  the  smaller  species, 

who  will  make  its  nest  in  the  tube  of  a  key,  which  it 

also  fills  with  minute  spiders. 

p  2 


204  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.         chap,  vin 

In  attacking  the  spider,  the  mason  fly  has  a  choice 
of  his  antagonist,  and  he  takes  good  care  to  have  a 
preponderance  of  weight  on  his  own  side.  His  reason 
for  choosing  this  in  preference  to  other  insects  for  a 
preserved  store  may  be,  that  the  spider  is  naturally 
juicy,  plump,  and  compact  ;  combining  advantages 
both  for  keeping  and  packing  clozf  ly. 

There  are  great  varieties  of  spiders  in  Ceylon,  one 
of  which  is  of  such  enormous  size  as  to  resemble  the 
Aranea  avicularia  of  America.  This  species  stands 
on  an  area  of  about  three  inches,  and  never  spins  a 
web,  but  wanders  about  and  lives  in  holes ;  his  length 
of  limb,  breadth  of  thorax  and  powerful  jaws,  give 
him  a  most  formidable  appearance.  There  is  another 
species  of  a  large-sized  spider  who  spins  a  web  of 
about  two  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter.  This  is  com- 
posed of  a  strong  yellow  silky  fibre,  and  so  powerful 
is  the  texture  that  a  moderate-sized  walking  cane 
thrown  into  the  web  will  be  retained  by  it.  This 
spider  is  about  two  inches  long,  the  colour  black,  with 
a  large  yellow  spot  upon  the  back,  and  the  body 
nearly  free  from  hair. 

Some  years  ago  an  experiment  was  made  in 
France  of  substituting  the  thread  of  the  spider  for  the 
silk  of  the  silkworm ;  several  pairs  of  stockings  and 
various  articles  were  manufactured  with  tolerable 
success  in  this  new  material  ;  but  the  fibre  was  gene- 
rally considered  as  too  fragile. 


CHAP.  viii.  SPIDERS.  ao5 

A  sample  of  such  thread  as  is  spun  by  the  spider 
described  could  not  have  failed  to  produce  the  desired 
result,  as  its  strength  is  so  great  that  it  can  be  wound 
upon  a  card  without  the  slightest  care  required  in  the 
operation.  The  texture  is  far  more  silky  than  the 
fibre  commonly  produced  by  spiders,  which  has  more 
generally  the  character  of  cotton  than  of  silk. 

Should  this  ever  be  experimented  on,  a  question 
might  arise  of  much  interest  to  entomologists,  whether 
a  difference  in  the  food  of  the  spider  would  affect  the 
quality  of  the  thread,  as  is  well  known  to  be  the  case 
with  the  common  silkworm. 

A  Ceylon  night  after  a  heavy  shower  of  rain  is  a 
brilliant  sight  when  the  whole  atmosphere  is  teeming 
with  moving  lights  ;  bright  as  the  stars  themselves, 
waving  around  the  tree  tops  in  fiery  circles,  now 
threading  like  distant  lamps  through  the  intricate 
branches  and  lighting  up  the  dark  recesses  of  the 
foliage,  then  rushing  like  a  shower  of  sparks  around 
the  glittering  boughs.  Myriads  of  bright  fire  flies  in 
these  wild  dances  meet  their  destiny,  being  entangled 
in  opposing  spiders'  webs,  where  they  hang  like  fairy 
lamps,  their  own  light  directing  the  path  of  the 
destroyer  and  assisting  in  their  destruction. 

There  are  many  varieties  of  luminous  insects  in 
Ceylon.  That  which  affords  the  greatest  volume  of 
light  is  a  large  white  grub  about  two  inches  in  length. 
This  is  a  fat  sluggish  animal,  whose  light  is  far  more 


ao6  EIGHT   YEARS  JN  CEYLON.  chak  viii 

brilliant  than  could  be  supposed  to  emanate  from  such 
a  form. 

The  light  of  a  common  fire  fly  will  enable  a  person 
to  distinguish  the  hour  on  a  dial  in  a  dark  night,  but 
the  glow  from  the  grub  described  will  render  the 
smallest  print  so  legible  that  a  page  may  be  lead 
with  ease.  I  once  tried  the  experiment  of  killing  the 
grub,  but  the  light  was  not  extinguished  with  life,  and 
by  opening  the  tail,  I  squeezed  out  a  quantity  of 
glutinous  fluid,  which  was  so  highly  phosphorescent, 
that  it  brilliantly  illumined  the  page  of  a  book  which 
I  had  been  reading  by  its  light  for  a  trial. 

All  phosphorescent  substances  require  friction  to 
produce  their  full  volume  of  light ;  this  is  exemplified 
at  sea  during  a  calm  tropical  night,  when  the  ocean 
sleeps  in  utter  darkness  and  quietude,  and  not  a  ripple 
disturbs  the  broad  surface  of  the  waters.  Then  the 
prow  of  the  advancing  steamer  cuts  through  the 
dreary  waste  of  darkness,  and  awakens  into  fiery  life 
the  spray  which  dashes  from  her  sides.  A  broad 
stream  of  light  illumines  the  sea  in  her  wake,  and  she 
appears  to  plough  up  fire  in  her  rush  through  the 
darkened  water. 

The  simple  friction  of  the  moving  mass  agitates 
the  millions  of  luminous  animalcules  contained  in  the 
water  ;  in  the  same  manner  a  fish  darting  through 
the  sea  is  distinctly  seen  by  the  fiery  course  which  is 
created  by  his  own  velocity. 


CHAP.  VIII  LUMINOUS  INSECTS.  207 

All  luminous  insects  are  provided  with  a  certain 
amount  of  phosphorescent  fluid,  which  can  be  set  in 
action  at  pleasure  by  the  agitation  of  a  number  of 
nerves  and  muscles  situated  in  the  region  of  the  fluid, 
and  especially  adapted  to  that  purpose.  It  is  a  com- 
mon belief  that  the  light  of  the  glow-worm  is  used 
as  a  lamp  of  love,  to  assist  in  nocturnal  meetings  ; 
but  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  insect  makes 
use  of  its  natural  brilliancy  without  any  specific  in- 
tention. It  is  as  natural  for  the  fire  fly  to  glitter  by 
night,  as  for  the  coloured  butterfly  to  be  gaudy 
by  day. 

The  variety  of  beautiful  and  interesting  insects 
is  so  great  in  Ceylon,  that  an  entomologist  would 
consider  it  a  temporary  elysium ;  neither  would  he 
have  much  trouble  in  collecting  a  host  of  different 
species,  who  will  exhibit  themselves  without  the 
necessity  of  a  laborious  search.  Thus,  while  he  may 
be  engaged  in  pinning  out  some  rare  specimen,  a 
thousand  minute  *  eye  flies  '  will  be  dancing  so  close 
to  his  eyeballs,  that  seeing  is  out  of  the  question. 
These  little  creatures,  which  are  no  larger  than  pins' 
heads,  are  among  the  greatest  plagues  in  some  parts 
of  the  jungle ;  and  what  increases  the  annoyance,  is 
the  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  they  dance  almost  into 
your  eyes  out  of  sheer  vanity.  They  are  simply  ad- 
miring their  own  reflection  in  the  mirror  of  the  eye  ; 
or,  may  be,  some  mistake  their  own  reflected  forms 


2o8  ErCHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.         chap.  viii. 

for  other  flies  performing  the  part  of  a  *  vis-^-vis  '  in 
their  unwearying  quadrille. 

A  cigar  is  a  specific  against  these  small  plagues, 
and  we  will  allow  that  the  patient  entomologist  has 
just  succeeded  in  putting  them  to  flight,  and  has  re- 
sumed the  occupation  of  setting  out  his  specimen. 
Ha !  see  him  spring  out  of  his  chair  as  though  elec- 
trified. Watch  how,  regardless  of  the  laws  of  buttons, 
he  frantically  tears  his  trowsers  from  his  limbs ; — he 
has  him  ! — no,  he  hasn't — yes,  he  has, — no  — no,  posi- 
tively he  cannot  get  him  off.  It  is  a  tick,  no  bigger 
than  a  grain  of  sand,  but  his  bite  is  like  a  red-hot 
needle  boring  into  the  skin.  If  all  the  royal  family 
had  been  present,  he  could  not  have  refrained  from 
tearing  off  his  trowsers. 

The  naturalist  has  been  out  the  whole  morning 
collectings  and  a  pretty  collection  he  has  got, — a 
perfect  fortune  upon  his  legs  alone.  There  are  about 
one  hundred  ticks  who  have  not  yet  commenced  to 
feed  upon  him  ;  there  are  also  several  fine  specimens 
of  the  large  flat  buffalo  tick  ;  three  or  four  leeches 
are  enjoying  themselves  on  the  juices  of  the  naturalist ; 
these  he  had  not  felt,  although  they  had  bitten  him 
half  an  hour  before  ;  a  fine  black  ant  has  also  escaped 
during  the  recent  confusion,  fortunately  without  using 
his  sting. 

Oil  is  the  only  means  of  loosening  the  hold  of  a 
tick  ;  this  suffocates  him,  and  he  dies ;  but  he  leaveii 


CHAP.  vm.         DOGS  WORRIED  BY  LEECHES.  209 

an  amount  of  inflammation  in  the  wound  which  is 
perfectly  surprising  in  so  minute  an  insect  The  bite 
of  the  smallest  species  is  far  more  severe  than  that  of 
the  large  buffalo  or  the  deer  tick,  both  of  which  are 
varieties. 

Although  the  leeches  in  Ceylon  are  excessively 
annoying,  and  numerous  among  the  dead  leaves  of 
the  jungle  and  the  high  grass,  they  are  easily  guarded 
against  by  means  of  leech  gaiters:  these  are  wide 
stockings,  made  of  drill  or  some  other  light  and  close 
material,  which  are  drawn  over  the  foot  and  trowsers 
up  to  the  knee,  under  which  they  are  securely  tied. 
There  are  three  varieties  of  the  leech :  the  small 
jungle  leech,  the  common  leech,  and  the  stone  leech. 
The  latter  will  frequently  creep  up  the  nostrils  of  a 
dog  while  he  is  drinking  in  a  stream,  and,  unlike  the 
other  species,  it  does  not  drop  off  when  satiated,  but 
continues  to  live  in  the  dog's  nostril.  I  have  known 
a  leech  of  this  kind  to  have  lived  more  than  two 
months  in  the  nose  of  one  of  my  hounds  ;  he  was  so 
high  up,  that  I  could  only  see  his  tail  occasionally 
when  he  relaxed  to  his  full  length,  and  injections  of 
salt  and  water  had  no  effect  upon  him.  Thus  I  could 
not  relieve  the  dog  till  one  day  when  the  leech 
descended,  and  I  observed  the  tail  working  in  and 
out  of  the  nostril ;  I  then  extracted  him  in  the  usual 
way  with  the  finger  and  thumb  and  the  tail  of  the 
coat. 


2IO  EIGHT   YEARS   IN  CEYLON.         chap.  vm. 

I  should  be  trespassing  too  much  upon  the  pro- 
vince of  the  naturalist,  and  attempting  more  than  I 
could  accomplish,  were  I  to  enter  into  the  details  of 
the  entomology  of  Ceylon  ;  I  have  simply  mentioned 
a  few  of  those  insects  most  common  to  the  every-day 
observer,  and  I  leave  the  description  of  the  endless 
varieties  of  classes  to  those  who  make  entomology  a 
study. 

It  may  no  doubt  appear  very  enticing  to  the 
lovers  of  such  things,  to  hear  of  the  gorgeous  colours 
and  prodigious  size  of  butterflies,  moths,  and  beetles ; 
the  varieties  of  reptiles,  the  flying  foxes,  the  gigantic 
crocodiles ;  the  countless  species  of  waterfowl,  &c. ; 
but  one  very  serious  fact  is  apt  to  escape  the  observa- 
tion of  the  general  reader,  that,  wherever  insect  and 
reptile  life  is  most  abundant,  so  sure  is  that  locality 
full  of  malaria  and  disease. 

Ceylon  does  not  condescend  to  second-class  dis- 
eases :  there  is  no  such  thing  as  influenza  ;  hooping- 
cough,  measles,  scarlatina,  &c.,  are  rarely,  if  ever, 
heard  of ;  we  ring  the  changes  upon  four  first-class 
ailments — four  scourges,  which  alternately  ascend  the 
throne  of  pestilence  and  annually  reduce  the  circle  of 
our  friends  —cholera,  dysentery,  small-pox,  and  fever. 
This  year  (1854)  there  has  been  some  dispute  as  to 
the  routine  of  succession  ;  they  have  accordingly  all 
raged  at  one  time. 

The  cause  of  infection  in  disease  has  long  been  a 


CHAP,  viii  CAUSES  OF  INFECTION.  211 

subject  of  controversy  among  medical  men ;  but 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that,  whatever  is  the  origin 
of  the  disease,  the  same  is  the  element  of  infection. 
The  question  is,  therefore,  reduced  to  the  prime  cause 
of  the  disease  itself. 

A  theory  that  animalcules  are  the  cause  of  the 
various  contagious  and  infectious  disorders  has 
created  much  discussion  ;  and  although  this  opinion 
is  not  generally  entertained  by  the  faculty,  the  idea  is 
so  feasible,  and  so  many  rational  arguments  can  be 
brought  forward  in  its  support,  that  I  cannot  help 
touching  upon  a  topic  so  generally  interesting. 

In  the  first  place,  nearly  all  infectious  diseases 
predominate  in  localities  which  are  hot,  damp, 
swampy,  abounding  in  stagnant  pools,  and  excluded 
from  a  free  circulation  of  air.  In  a  tropical  country, 
a  residence  in  such  a  situation  would  be  certain 
death  to  a  human  being,  but  the  same  locality  will 
be  found  to  swarm  with  insects  and  reptiles  of  all 
classes. 

Thus,  what  is  inimical  to  human  life  is  propitious 
to  the  insect  tribe.  This  is  the  first  step  in  favour  of 
the  argument.  Therefore,  whatever  shall  tend  to  the 
increase  of  insect  life  must  in  an  inverse  ratio  war 
with  human  existence. 

When  we  examine  a  drop  of  impure  water,  and 
discover  by  the  microscope  the  thousands  of  living 
beings  which  not  only  are  invisible  to  the  naked   eye, 


213  RIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  viii. 

but  some  of  whom  are  barely  discoverable  even  by 
the  strongest  magnifying  power,  it  certainly  leads  to 
the  inference,  that  if  one  drop  of  impure  fluid  contains 
countless  atoms  endowed  with  vitality  the  same 
amount  of  impure  air  may  be  equally  tenanted  with 
its  myriads  of  invisible  inhabitants. 

It  is  well  known  that  different  mixtures,  which 
are  at  first  pure,  and  apparently  free  from  all  insect 
life  will,  in  the  course  of  their  fermentation  and  sub- 
sequent impurity,  generate  peculiar  species  of  animal- 
cules. Thus  all  water,  and  vegetable  or  animal 
matter,  in  a  state  of  stagnation  and  decay,  gives 
birth  to  insect  life ;  likewise  all  substances  of  every 
denomination  which  are  subjected  to  putrid  fermen- 
tation. Unclean  sewers,  filthy  hovels,  unswept 
streets,  unwashed  clothes,  are  therefore  breeders  of 
animalcules,  many  of  which  are  perfectly  visible 
without  microscopic  aid. 

Now,  if  some  are  discernible  by  the  naked  eye, 
and  others  are  detected  in  such  varying  sizes,  that 
some  can  only  just  be  distinguished  by  the  most 
powerful  lens,  is  it  not  rational  to  conclude,  that 
the  smallest  discernible  to  human  intelligence  is 
but  the  medium  of  a  countless  race }  that  millions 
of  others  still  exist,  which  are  too  minute  for  any 
observation  ? 

Observe  the  particular  quarters  of  a  city  which 
suffer  most   severely   during   the   prevalence   of    an 


CHAP.  viii.  CAUSES   OF  INFECTION.  213 

epidemic.  In  all  dirty  narrow  streets,  where  the 
inhabitants  are  naturally  of  a  low  and  uncleanly 
class,  the  cases  will  be  tenfold.  Thus,  filth  is  ad- 
mitted to  have  at  least  the  power  of  attracting 
disease,  and  we  know  that  it  not  only  attracts,  but 
generates  animalcules ;  therefore  filth,  insects,  and 
disease  are  ever  to  be  seen  closely  linked  together. 

Now  the  common  preventives  against  infection 
are  such  as  are  peculiarly  inimical  to  every  kind 
of  insect:  camphor,  chloride  of  lime,  tobacco-smoke, 
and  powerful  scents  and  smokes  of  any  kind.  The 
first  impulse  on  the  appearance  of  an  infectious 
disease  is  to  purify  every  thing  as  much  as  possible, 
and,  by  extra  cleanliness  and  fumigations,  to  en- 
deavour to  arrest  its  progress.  The  great  purifier  of 
Nature  is  a  violent  wind,  which  usually  terminates  an 
epidemic  immediately  ;  this  would  naturally  carry 
before  it  all  insect  life  with  which  the  atmosphere 
might  be  impregnated,  and  the  disease  disappears  at 
the  same  moment.  It  will  be  well  remembered,  that 
the  plague  of  locusts  inflicted  upon  Pharaoh  was 
relieved  in  the  same  manner  : — 

'  And  the  Lord  turned  a  mighty  strong  west  wind, 
which  took  away  the  locusts,  and  cast  them  into  the 
Red  Sea  ;  there  remained  not  one  locust  in  all  the 
coasts  of  Egypt.' 

Every  person  is  aware  that  unwholesome  air  is 
quite  as   poisonous  to  the  human  system   as  impure 


214  EIGHT   YEARS   FN  CEYLON.  oiap    vni. 

water ;  and  seeing  that  the  noxious  qualities  of  the 
latter  are  caused  by  animalcules,  and  that  the 
methods  used  for  purifying  infected  air  are  those 
most  generally  destructive  to  insect  life,  it  is  not 
irrational  to  conclude,  that  the  poisonous  qualities 
of  bad  water  and  bad  air  arise  from  the  same 
cause. 

Man  is  being  constantly  preyed  upon  by  insects  ; 
and  were  it  not  for  ordinary  cleanliness,  he  would 
become  a  mass  of  vermin ;  even  this  does  not 
protect  him  from  the  rapacity  of  ticks,  mosquitoes, 
fleas,  and  many  others.  Intestinal  worms  feed  on 
him  within,  and,  unseen,  use  their  slow  efforts  for  his 
destruction. 

The  knowledge  of  so  many  classes  which  actually 
prey  upon  the  human  system  naturally  leads  to 
the  belief  that  many  others  endowed  with  the  same 
propensities  exist,  of  which  we  have  at  present  no 
conception.  Thus,  different  infectious  disorders 
might  proceed  from  peculiar  species  of  animalcules, 
which  at  given  periods  are  wafted  into  certain 
countries,  carrying  pestilence  and  death  in  their 
invisible  course. 

A  curious  phenomenon  has  recently  occurred  at 
Mauritius,  where  that  terrific  scourge,  the  cholera, 
has  been  raging  with  desolating  effect. 

There  is  a  bird  in  that  island  called  the  '  Martin,' 
but  it    is  more  properly  the  '  Mina.'      This   bird  is 


CH  A  p.  V 1 1 1 .       DISAPPEARANCE   OF  THE    '  MINA. '  215 

about  the  size  of  the  starling,  whose  habits  it 
possesses  in  a  great  degree.  It  exists  in  immense 
numbers,  and  is  a  grand  destroyer  of  all  insects. 
On  this  account  it  is  seldom  or  never  shot  at, 
especially  as  it  is  a  great  comforter  to  all  cattle, 
whose  hides  it  entirely  cleans  from  ticks  and  other 
vermin,  remaining  for  many  hours  perched  upon 
the  back  of  one  animal,  while  its  bill  is  actively 
employed  in  searching  out  and  destroying  every 
insect. 

During  the  prevalence  of  the  cholera  at  Mauri- 
tius, these  birds  disappeared.  Such  a  circumstance 
had  never  before  occurred,  and  the  real  cause  of  their 
departure  is  still  a  mystery. 

May  it  not  have  been,  that  some  species  of  insect 
upon  which  they  fed  had  likewise  migrated,  and  that 
certain  noxious  animalcules,  which  had  been  kept 
down  by  this  class,  had  thus  multiplied  within  the 
atmosphere,  until  their  numbers  caused  disease  1  All 
suppositions  on  such  a  subject  must,  however,  remain 
in  obscurity,  as  no  proof  can  be  adduced  of  their 
correctness.  The  time  may  arrive  when  science  may 
successfully  grapple  with  all  human  ailments ;  but 
hitherto  that  king  of  pestilence,  the  'cholera,'  has 
reduced  the  highest  medical  skill  to  miserable  un- 
certainty.' 

'  The  germ  theory  of  Professor  Tyndall  is  GTcnerally  accepte<l  ; 
fvcry  disease  may  be  propagated  by  its  germ.     There  are  also  many 


2i6  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  viri. 

Upon  reconsidering  the  dangers  of  fevers,  dysen- 
tery, &c.,  in  the  swampy  and  confined  districts 
described,  the  naturalist  may  become  somewhat  less 
ardent  in  following  his  favourite  pursuit.  Of  one 
fact  I  can  assure  him,  that,  no  matter  how  great  the 
natural  strength  of  his  constitution,  the  repeated  ex- 
posure to  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun,  the  unhealthy 
districts  that  he  will  visit,  the  nights  redolent  of 
malaria,  and  the  horrible  water  that  he  must  occa- 
sionally drink,  will  gradually  undermine  the  power  of 
the  strongest  man.  Both  sportsman  and  naturalist  in 
this  must  share  alike. 

No  one  who  has  not  actually  suffered  from  the 
effect,  can  appreciate  the  misery  of  bad  water  in  a 
tropical  country,  or  the  blessings  of  a  cool  pure 
draught.  I  have  been  in  districts  of  Ceylon  where, 
for  sixteen  or  twenty  miles,  not  a  drop  of  water  is  to 
be  obtained  fit  for  an  animal  to  drink  ;  nor  a  tree 
to  throw  a  few  yards  of  shade  upon  the  parching 
ground ;  nothing  but  stunted  thorny  jungles  and 
sandy  barren  plains  far  as  the  eye  can  reach ;  the 
yellow  leaves  crisp  upon  the  withered  branches,  the 
wild  fruits  hardened  for  want  of  sap  ;  all  moisture 
robbed  from  vegetation  by  the  pitiless  drought  of 
several  months. 

A  day's  work  in  such  a  country  is  hard  indeed, 

complaints  that  are  the  result  of  noxious  insects — vule  Trichitta  spiralis, 
Guinea  worm,  &c. 


CHAP.  viii.  POISONOUS   WATER.  217 

— carrying  a  heavy  rifle  for  some  five  and  twenty 
miles,  sometimes  in  deep  sand,  sometimes  on  good 
ground,  but  always  exposed  to  the  intensity  of  that 
blaze,  added  to  the  reflection  from  the  sandy  soil, 
and  the  total  want  of  fresh  air  and  water.  All 
Nature  seems  stagnated  ;  a  distant  pool  is  seen,  and 
a  general  rush  takes  place  towards  the  cheering 
sight.  The  water  is  thicker  than  pease  soup,  a  green 
scum  floats  upon  it,  and  the  temperature  is  upwards  of 
130°  Fahr.  All  kinds  of  insects  are  swarming  in  the 
putrid  fluid,  and  a  saltish  bitter  adds  to  its  nauseat- 
ing flavour.  I  have  seen  the  exhausted  coolies  spread 
their  dirty  cloths  upon  the  surface,  and  form  them 
into  filters  by  siucking  the  water  through  them.  Oh, 
for  a  glass  of  Newera  Ellia  water,  the  purest  and 
best  that  ever  flows,  as  it  sparkles  out  of  the  rocks 
on  the  mountain  tops !  what  pleasure  so  perfect  as 
a  long,  deep,  and  undisturbed  draught  of  such  cold 
clear  nectar,  when  the  throat  is  parched  with  un- 
quenghable  thirst ! 

In  some  parts  of  Ceylon,  especially  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  coast,  where  the  land  is  flat  and 
sandy,  the  water  is  always  brackish,  even  during 
the  rainy  season,  and  in  the  dry  months  it  is  un- 
drinkable. 

The  natives  then  make  use  of  a  berry  for  cleansing 
it,  and  precipitating  the  impurities.  I  know  the  shrub 
well ;   but    it   has   no    English   denomination.      The 

Q 


2i8  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.         chap,  v.ii 

berries  are  about  the  size  of  a  very  large  pea,  and  grow 
in  clusters  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  together,  and  one  is 
said  to  be  sufficient  to  cleanse  a  gallon  of  water.  The 
method  of  using  them  is  curious,  although  simple. 
The  vessel  which  is  intended  to  contain  the  water, 
which  is  generally  an  earthen  chatty,  is  well  rubbed 
in  the  inside  with  a  berry,  until  the  latter,  which  is  of 
a  horny  consistency,  like  vegetable  ivory,  is  com- 
pletely worn  away.  The  chatty  is  then  filled  with  the 
muddy  water,  and  allowed  to  stand  for  about  an  hour 
or  more,  until  all  the  impurities  have  precipitated  to 
the  bottom,  and  the  water  remains  clear. 

I  have  constantly  used  this  ;  but  I  certainly  cannot 
say  that  the  water  has  ever  been  rendered  perfectly 
clear  ;  it  has  been  vastly  improved,  and  what  was  to- 
tally undrinkable  before,  has  been  rendered  fit  for  use  ; 
but  it  has  at  the  best  been  only  comparatively  good  ; 
and  although  the  berry  has  produced  a  decided  effect, 
the  native  accounts  of  its  properties  are  greatly  ex- 
aggerated ' 

During  the  prolonged  droughts,  many  rivers  of 
considerable  magnitude  are  completely  exhausted, 
and  nothing  remains  but  a  dry  bed  of  sand  between 


'  There  are  many  fruits  tliat  will  produce  this  efifect,  especially  those 
which  are  rich  in  tannin.  The  albuminous  impurities  of  the  water 
coagulate,  and  are  precipitated  to  the  bottom,  A  dozen  common 
almondj,  if  pounded  in  a  paste  and  mixed  with  a  glass  of  water,  ?.tirre»l 
with  the  muddy  fluid,  will  in  a  few  hours  cleanse  and  render  il  whole- 


CHAP.  viii.         IVELL-DIGGING  ELEPHANTS.  219 

lofty  banks.  At  these  seasons,  the  elephants,  being 
hard  pressed  for  water,  make  use  of  their  wonderful 
instinct  by  digging  holes  in  the  dry  sand  of  the  river's 
bed  ,  this  they  perform  with  the  horny  toes  of  their 
fore  feet,  and  frequently  work  to  a  depth  of  three  feet 
before  they  discover  the  liquid  treasure  beneath. 
This  process  of  well-digging  almost  oversteps  the 
boundaries  of  instinct,  and  strongly  savours  of  reason, 
the  two  powers  being  so  nearly  connected,  that  it  is 
difficult  in  some  cases  to  define  the  distinction.  There 
are  so  many  interesting  cases  of  the  wonderful  display 
of  both  these  attributes  in  animals,  that  I  shall 
notice  some  features  of  this  subject  in  a  separate 
chapter. 


Q2 


220  EIGHT   YEARS  TN  CEYLON.  chap.  ix. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Instinct  and  Reason — Tailor  Birds  and  Grosbeaks — The  White  Ant — 
Black  Ants  at  War — Wanderoo  Monkeys — Habits  of  Elephants — 
Elephants  in  the  Lake — Herd  of  Elephants  Bathing -Elephant 
Shooting — The  Rencontre — The  Charge— Caught  by  the  Tail — 
Horse  Gored  by  a  Buffalo — Sagacity  of  Dogs— 'Bluebeard '—His 
Hunt— A  True  Hound. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  man  is  not  the  only 
animal  endowed  with  reasoning  powers  :  he  possesses 
that  faculty  to  an  immense  extent,  but  although  the 
amount  of  the  same  power  possessed  by  animals  may 
be  infinitely  small,  nevertheless  it  is  their  share  of 
reason,  which  they  occasionally  use  apart  from  mere 
instinct. 

Although  instinct  and  reason  appear  to  be  closely 
allied,  they  are  easily  separated  and  defined. 

Instinct  is  the  faculty  with  which  Nature  has 
endowed  all  animals  for  the  preservation  and  continu- 
ation of  their  own  species.  This  is  accordingly  ex- 
hibited in  various  features,  as  circumstances  may  call 
forth  the  operation  of  the  power  ;  but  so  wonderful 
are  the  attributes  of  Nature,  that  the  details  of  her 
arrangements  throughout  the  animal  and  insect  crea- 


CHAP.  IX.  INSTINCT  AND  REASON.  221 

tion  give  to  every  class  an  amount  of  sense,  which  in 
many  instances  surmounts  the  narrow  bounds  of  simple 
instinct. 

The  great  characteristic  of  sheer  instinct  is  its 
want  of  progression  ;  it  never  increases,  or  improves. 
It  is  possessed  now  in  the  nineteenth  century  by  every 
race  of  living  creatures  in  no  larger  proportion  than 
was  bestowed  upon  them  at  the  Creation. 

In  general,  knowledge  increases  like  a  rolling 
snowball ;  a  certain  amount  forms  a  base  for  extra 
improvement,  and  upon  successive  foundations  of 
increasing  altitude,  the  eminence  has  been  attained  of 
the  present  era.  This  is  the  effect  of  '  reason  ; '  but 
'  instinct,'  although  beautiful  in  its  original  con- 
struction, remains,  like  the  blossom  of  a  tree,  ever  the 
same  ;  a  limited  effect  produced  by  a  given  cause  ; 
an  unchangeable  law  of  Nature  that  certain  living 
beings  shall  perform  certain  functions  which  require  a 
certain  amount  of  intelligence  ;  this  amount  is  supplied 
by  Nature  for  the  performance  of  the  duties  required 
— this  is  instinct. 

Thus,  according  to  the  requirements  necessitated 
by  the  habits  of  certain  living  creatures,  to  an  equiva- 
lent amount  is  their  share  of  instinct. 

Reason  differs  from  instinct,  as  combining  the 
effects  of  thought  and  reflection  ;  this  being  a  proof 
of  consideration  ;  while  instinct  is  simply  a  direct 
emanation  from  the  brain,  confined  to  an  impulse. 


222  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chaK  tx. 

In  our  observations  of  Nature,  especially  in  tro- 
pical countries,  we  see  numberless  exemplifications  of 
these  powers,  in  some  of  which  the  efforts  of  common 
instinct  halt  upon  the  extreme  boundary,  and  have 
almost  a  tinge  of  reason. 

What  can  be  more  curious  than  the  nest  of  the 
*  tailor  bird  ?  * — a  selection  of  tough  leaves  neatly 
sewn  one  over  the  other  to  form  a  waterproof  exterior 
to  the  comfortable  little  dwelling  within.  Where 
does  the  needle  and  thread  come  from  ?  The  first  is 
the  delicate  bill  of  the  bird  itself,  and  the  latter  is  the 
strong  fibre  of  the  bark  of  a  tree,  with  which  the  bird 
sews  every  leaf,  lapping  one  over  the  other,  in  the 
same  manner  that  slates  are  laid  upon  a  roof.' 

Nevertheless  this  is  simple  instinct ;  the  tailor  bird 
in  the  days  of  Adam  constructed  her  nest  in  a  similar 
manner,  which  will  be  continued  without  improvement 
till  the  end  of  time. 

The  grosbeak  almost  rivals  the  tailor  bird  in  the 
beautiful  formation  of  its  nest.  These  birds  build  in 
company,  twenty  or  thirty  nests  being  common  upon 
one  tree.''  Their  apparent  intention  in  the  peculiar 
construction  of  their  nests  is  to  avoid  the  attacks  of 
snakes  and  lizards.  These  nests  are  about  two  feet 
long,  composed   of  beautifully  woven  grass,  shaped 

*  This  bird  never  makes  a  mistake  in  overlapping,  so  as  to  admit 
the  rain. 

'  Sometimes  there  are  hundreds  upon  the  same  tree. 


CHAP.  IX.  THE    WHITE  ANT.  223 

like  an  elongated  pear.  They  are  attached  like  fruit 
to  the  extreme  end  of  a  stalk  or  branch,  from  which 
they  wave  to  and  fro  in  the  wind,  as  though  hung  out 
to  dry.  The  bird  enters  a  funnel-like  aperture  in  the 
bottom,  and  by  this  arrangement  the  young  are 
effectually  protected  from  reptiles. 

All  nests,  whether  of  birds  or  insects,  are  particu- 
larly interesting,  as  they  explain  the  domestic  habits 
of  the  occupants  ;  but,  however  wonderful  the  arrange- 
ment and  the  beauty  of  the  work,  as  exhibited  among 
birds,  bees,  wasps,  &c.,  still  it  is  the  simple  effect  of 
instinct,  on  the  principle  that  they  never  vary. 

The  white  ant — that  grand  destroyer  of  all  timber — 
always  works  under  cover  ;  he  builds  as  he  progresses 
in  his  work  of  destruction,  and  runs  a  long  gallery 
of  fine  clay  in  the  direction  of  his  operations  ;  beneath 
this,  his  devastation  proceeds  until  he  has  penetrated 
to  the  interior  of  the  beam,  the  centre  of  which  he 
entirely  demolishes,  leaving  a  thin  shell  in  the  form 
of  the  original  log,  encrusted  over  the  exterior  with 
numerous  galleries. 

There  is  less  interest  in  the  habits  of  these  de- 
structive wretches  than  in  all  other  of  the  ant  tribe ; 
they  build  stupendous  nests  it  is  true,  but  their 
interior  economy  is  less  active  and  thrifty  than  that 
of  many  other  species  of  ants,  among  which  there  is  a 
greater  appearance  of  the  display  of  reasoning  powers 
than  in  most  animals  of  a  superior  class. 


i±4  EIGHT  YEA  Ms  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ix. 

On  a  fine  sunny  morning  it  is  not  uncommon  to 
see  ants  busily  engaged  in  bringing  out  all  the  eggs 
from  the  nest,  and  laying  them  in  the  sun  until  they  be- 
come thoroughly  warmed;  after  which,  they  carry  them 
all  back  again,  and  lay  them  in  their  respective  places. 
This  looks  very  like  a  power  of  reasoning,  as  it  is 
decidedly  beyond  instinct.  If  they  'were  to  carry  out 
the  eggs  every  morning,  wet  or  dry,  it  would  be  an 
effort  of  instinct  to  the  detriment  of  the  eggs  ;  but  as 
the  weather  is  uncertain,  it  is  an  effort  of  reason  on 
the  part  of  the  ants  to  bring  out  the  eggs  to  the  sun, 
especially  as  it  is  not  an  every-day  occurrence,  even 
in  fine  weather. 

In  Mauritius  the  negroes  have  a  custom  of  turn- 
ing the  reasoning  powers  of  the  large  black  ant  to 
advantage. 

White  ants  are  frequently  seen  passing  in  and  out 
of  a  small  hole,  from  underneath  a  building,  in  which 
case  their  ravages  could  only  be  prevented  by  taking 
up  the  flooring  and  destroying  the  nest. 

The  negroes  avoid  this  by  their  knowledge  of  the 
habits  of  the  black  ant,  who  is  a  sworn  enemy  to 
the  white. 

They  accordingly  pour  a  little  treacle  on  the 
ground  within  a  yard  of  the  hole  occupied  by  the 
white  ants.  The  smell  of  the  treacle  shortly  attracts 
some  of  the  black  species,  who  on  their  arrival  are 
not  long  in  observing  their  old  enemies  passing  in 


CHAP.  IX.  BLACK  ANTS  AT   WAR.  11^ 

and  out  of  the  hole.  Some  of  them  leave  the  treacle ; 
these  are  evidently  messengers,  as  in  the  course  of  the 
day  a  whole  army  of  black  ants  will  be  seen  advancing 
in  a  narrow  line  of  many  yards  in  length,  to  storm  the 
stronghold  of  the  white  ants.  They  enter  the  hole, 
and  they  destroy  every  white  ant  in  the  building. 
Resistance  there  can  be  none,  as  the  plethoric  slow- 
going  white  ant  is  as  a  mouse  to  a  cat  in  the  encounter 
with  his  active  enemy,  added  to  which  the  black  ant 
is  furnished  with  a  most  venomous  sting,  in  addition 
to  a  powerful  pair  of  mandibles.  I  have  seen  the 
black  ants  returning  from  their  work  of  destruction, 
each  carrying  a  slaughtered  white  ant  in  his  mouth, 
which  he  devours  at  leisure.  This  is  again  a  decided 
effort  of  reason,  as  the  black  ant  arrives  at  the  treacle 
without  a  thought  of  the  white  ant  in  his  mind,  but, 
upon  seeing  his  antagonist,  he  despatches  messengers 
for  reinforcements,  who  eventually  bring  up  the  army 
to  the  '  rendezvous.' 

Numerous  instances  might  be  cited  of  the  presence 
of  reasoning  powers  among  the  insect  classes ;  but 
this  faculty  becomes  of  increased  interest  when  seen 
in  the  larger  animals. 

The  power  of  education  is  both  a  proof  and  a  pro- 
moter of  reason  in  all  animals.  This  removes  them 
from  their  natural  or  instinctive  position,  and  brings 
forth  the  full  development  of  the  mental  powers. 
This  is  exhibited  in  the  performances  of  well-trained 


226  EIGHT   YEARS   IN  CEYLON.  cxap.  ix. 

dojjs,  especially  among  pointers  and  setters.  Again, 
in  the  feats  performed  by  educated  animals  in  the 
circus,  where  the  elephant  has  lately  endeavoured  to 
prove  a  want  of  common  sense,  by  standing  on  his 
head.*  Nevertheless,  however  absurd  the  tricks  which 
man  may  teach  the  animal  to  perform,  the  very 
fact  of  their  performance  substantiates  an  amount  of 
reason  in  the  animal. 

Monkeys,  elephants,  and  dogs  are  naturally  en- 
dowed with  a  larger  share  of  the  reasoning  power 
than  other  animals,  which  is  frequently  increased  to  a 
wonderful  extent  by  education.  The  former,  even  in 
their  wild  state,  are  so  little  inferior  to  some  natives, 
either  in  their  habits  or  appearance,  that  I  should 
feel  some  reluctance  in  denying  them  an  almost  equal 
share  of  reason.  The  want  of  speech  certainly  places 
them  below  the  Veddahs,  but  the  monkeys  on  the 
other  hand  might  assert  a  superiorfty  by  a  show  of 
tails. 

Monkeys  vary  in  intelligence  according  to  their 
species,  and  may  be  taught  to  do  almost  anything. 
There  are  several  varieties  in  Ceylon,  among  which 
the  great  black  wanderoo,  with  white  whiskers,  is 
the  nearest  in  appearance  to  the  human  race.  This 
monkey  stands  upwards  of  three  feet  high,  and 
weighs  about  eighty  pounds.     He  possesses  immense 

'  A  tame  elephant  had  recently  been  exhibiting  in  this  fashion. 


CHAP.  IX.  iVANDEROO  MONKEYS,  ill 

muscular  power,  and  he  has  also  a  great  peculiarity 
in  the  formation  of  the  skull,  which  is  closely  allied 
to  that  of  a  human  being ;  the  lower  jaw  and  the 
upper  being  in  a  straight  line  with  the  forehead.  In 
monkeys  the  jaws  usually  project.  This  species  exists 
in  most  parts  of  Ceylon,  but  I  have  seen  it  of  a  larger 
size  at  Newera  Ellia  than  in  any  of  the  low  country 
districts. 

Elephants  are  proverbially  sagacious,  both  in  their 
wild  state  and  when  domesticated.  I  have  previously 
described  the  building  of  a  dam  by  a  tame  elephant, 
which  was  an  exhibition  of  reason  hardly  to  be  ex- 
pected in  any  animal.  They  are  likewise  wonderfully 
clever  in  a  wild  state  in  preserving  themselves  from 
accidents,  to  which,  from  their  bulk  and  immense 
weight,  they  would  be  particularly  liable,  such  as  the 
crumbling  of  the  verge  of  a  precipice,  the  insecurity 
of  a  bridge,  or  the  suffocating  depth  of  mud  in  a 
lake. 

It  is  the  popular  opinion,  and  I  have  seen  it  ex- 
pressed in  many  works,  that  the  elephant  shuns  rough 
and  rocky  ground,  over  which  he  moves  with  diffi- 
culty, and  that  he  delights  in  level  plains,  &c.  &c. 
This  may  be  the  case  in  Africa,  where  his  favourite 
food,  the  mimosa,  grows  upon  the  plain  ;  but  in  Ceylon 
it  is  directly  the  contrary.  In  this  country  the  ele- 
phant delights  in  the  most  rugged  localities  ;  he 
rambles    about   rocky   hills    and    mountains    with    a 


228  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ix. 

nimbleness  that  no  one.  can  understand  without  per- 
sonal experience.  So  partial  are  elephants  to  rocky 
and  uneven  ground,  that  should  the  ruins  of  a  moun- 
tain exist  in  rugged  fragments  among  a  plain  of  low 
thorny  jungle,  five  chances  to  one  would  be  in  favour 
of  tracking  the  herd  to  this  very  spot,  where  they 
would  most  likely  be  found,  standing  among  the 
alleys  formed  by  the  fragments  heaped  around  them. 
It  is  surprising  to  witness  the  dexterity  of  elephants 
in  traversing  ground  over  which  a  man  can  pass  with 
difficulty.  I  have  seen  places  on  the  mountains  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Newera  Ellia  bearing  the  unmis- 
takable marks  of  elephants  where  I  could  not  have 
conceived  it  possible  for  such  an  animal  to  stand.  On 
the  precipitous  sides  of  jungle-covered  mountains, 
where  the  ground  is  so  steep  that  a  man  is  forced  to 
cling  to  the  underwood  for  support,  the  elephants  still 
plough  their  irresistible  course.  In  descending  or 
ascending  these  places,  the  elephant  always  describes 
a  zigzags  and  thus  lessens  the  abruptness  of  the 
inclination.  Their  immense  weight  acting  on  their 
broad  feet,  bordered  by  sharp  horny  toes,  cuts  away 
the  side  of  the  hill  at  every  stride,  and  foVms  a  level 
step  ;  thus  they  are  enabled  to  skirt  the  sides  of  pre- 
cipitous hills  and  banks  with  comparative  ease.  The 
trunk  is  the  wonderful  monitor  of  all  danger  to  an 
elephant,  from  whatever  cause  it  may  proceed.  This 
may  arise  from  the  approach  of  man,  or  from  the 


CHAP.  IX.  HABITS  OF  ELEPHANTS.  229 

character  of  the  country:  in  either  case  the  trunk 
exerts  its  power ;  in  one  by  the  acute  sense  of  smell, 
in  the  other  by  the  combination  of  the  sense  of  scent 
and  touch.  In  dense  jungles,  where  the  elephant 
cannot  see  a  yard  before  him,  the  sensitive  trunk 
feels  the  hidden  way,  and  when  the  roaring  of  water- 
falls admonishes  him  of  the  presence  of  ravines  and 
precipices,  the  never-failing  trunk  lowered  upon  the 
ground  keeps  him  advised  of  every  inch  of  his  path. 

Nothing  is  more  difficult  than  to  induce  a  tame 
elephant  to  cross  a  bridge  which  his  sagacity  assures 
him  is  insecure  ;  he  will  sound  it  with  his  trunk,  and 
press  upon  it  with  one  foot,  but  he  will  not  trust  his 
weight  if  he  can  perceive  the  slightest  vibration. 

Their  power  of  determining  whether  bogs  or  the 
mud  at  the  bottom  of  tanks  are  deep  or  shallow  is 
beyond  my  comprehension.  Although  I  have  seen 
elephants  in  nearly  every  position,  I  have  never  seen 
one  inextricably  fixed  in  a  swamp.  This  is  the  more 
extraordinary  as  their  habits  induce  them  to  frequent 
the  most  extensive  morasses,  deep  lakes,  muddy 
tanks,  and  estuaries,  and  yet  I  have  never  seen  even 
a  young  one  get  into  a  scrape  by  being  overwhelmed. 
There  appears  to  be  a  natural  instinct  which  warns 
them  in  their  choice  of  ground,  the  same  as  that 
which  influences  the  buffalo,  and  in  Hke  manner 
guides  him  through  his  swampy  haunts. 

It  is  a  grand  sight  to  see  a  large  herd  of  elephants 


23©  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ix. 

feeding  in  a  fine  lake  in  broad  daylight.  This  is 
seldom  witnessed  in  these  days,  as  the  number  of 
guns  have  so  disturbed  the  elephants  in  Ceylon  that 
they  rarely  come  out  to  drink  until  late  in  the  even- 
ing or  during  the  night ;  but  some  time  ago  I  had  a 
fine  view  of  a  grand  herd  in  a  lake  in  the  middle  of 
the  day. 

I  was  out  shooting  with  a  great  friend  of  mine, 
who  is  a  brother  in  arms  against  the  game  of  Ceylon, 
and  than  whom  a  better  sportsman  does  not  breathe, 
and  we  had  arrived  at  a  wild  and  miserable  place 
while  en  route  home  after  a  jungle  trip.  Neither  of 
us  was  feeling  well ;  we  had  been  for  some  weeks  in 
the  most  unhealthy  part  of  the  country,  and  I  was 
just  recovering  from  a  touch  of  dysentery :  altogether 
we  were  looking  forward  with  pleasure  to  our  return 
to  comfortable  quarters,  and  for  the  time  we  were 
tired  of  jungle  life.  However,  we  arrived  at  a  little 
village  about  sixty  miles  south  of  Batticaloa,  called 
'  Gollagangwell6wev6 '  (pronunciation  requires  prac- 
tice), and  a  very  long  name  it  was  for  so  small  a 
place ;  but  the  natives  insisted  that  a  great  number 
of  elephants  were  in  the  neighbourhood. 

They  also  declared  that  the  elephants  infested  the 
neighbouring  tank  even  during  the  forenoon,  and 
that  they  nightly  destroyed  their  embankments,  and 
would  not  be  driven  away,  as  there  was  not  a  single 
gun   possessed    by  the  village   with    which   to  scare 


CHAP  IX.  ELEPHANTS  IN  THE  LAKE.  231 

them.  This  looked  all  right ;  so  we  loaded  the  guns 
and  started  without  loss  of  time,  as  it  was  then 
I  P.M.,  and  the  natives  described  the  tank  as  a  mile 
distant.  Being  perfectly  conversant  with  the  vague 
idea  of  space  described  by  a  Cingalese  mile,  we 
mounted  our  horses,  and,  accompanied  by  about  five 
and  twenty  villagers,  twenty  of  whom  I  wished  at 
Jericho,  we  started.  By  the  by,  I  have  quite  forgot- 
ten to  describe  who  ^we'  are,— F.  H.  Palliser,  Esq., 
and  myself. 

Whether  or  not  it  was  because  I  did  not  feel  in 
brisk  health,  I  do  not  know,  but  somehow  or  other,  I 
had  a  presentiment  that  the  natives  had  misled  us, 
and  that  we  should  not  find  the  elephants  in  the 
tank,  but  that,  as  usual,  we  should  be  led  up  to  some 
dense  thorny  jungle,  and  told  that  the  elephants  were 
somewhere  in  that  direction.  Not  being  very  san- 
guine, I  had  accordingly  taken  no  trouble  about  my 
gun-bearers,  and  I  saw  several  of  my  rifles  in  the 
hands  of  the  villagers,  and  only  one  of  my  regular 
gun-bearers  had  followed  me ;  the  rest,  having 
already  had  a  morning's  march,  were  glad  of  an 
excuse  to  remain  behind. 

Our  route  lay  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
through  deserted  paddy  land  and  low  jungle,  after 
which  we  entered  fine  open  jungle.  Unfortunately, 
the  recent  heavy  rains  had  filled  the  tank,  which  had 
overflowed  the  broken  dam  and  partially  flooded  the 


232  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ix. 

forest.  This  was  in  all  parts  within  200  yards  from 
the  dam  a  couple  of  feet  deep  in  water,  with  a 
proportionate  amount  of  sticky  mud  beneath,  and 
through  this  we  splashed  until  the  dam  appeared 
about  fifty  yards  on  our  right.  It  was  a  simple 
earthen  mound,  which  rose  about  ten  feet  from  the 
level  of  the  forest,  and  was  studded  with  immense 
trees,  apparently  the  growth  of  ages.  We  knew  that 
the  tank  lay  on  the  opposite  side ;  but  we  continued 
our  course  parallel  with  the  dam  until  we  had  ridden 
about  a  mile  from  the  village,  the  natives  for  a  won- 
der having  truly  described  the  distance. 

Here  our  guide,  having  motioned  us  to  stop,  ran 
quickly  up  the  dam  to  take  a  look  out  on  the  oppo- 
site side.  He  almost  immediately  beckoned  us  to 
come  up.  This  we  did  without  loss  of  time,  and 
knowing  that  the  game  was  in  view,  I  ordered  the 
horses  to  retire  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile. 

On  our  arrival  on  the  dam  there  was  a  fine  sight. 
The  lake  was  about  five  miles  round,  and  was  quite 
full  of  water,  the  surface  of  which  was  covered  with  a 
scanty,  but  tall,  rushy,  grass.  In  the  lake,  browsing 
upon  the  grass,  we  counted  twenty-three  elephants, 
and  there  were  many  little  ones,  no  doubt,  that  we 
could  not  distinguish  in  such  rank  vegetation.  Five 
large  elephants  were  not  more  than  120  paces  dis- 
tant ;  the  remaining   eighteen  were   in  a  long   line, 


G'i\p.  IX.        HERD   OF  ELEPHANTS  BATHING.  233 

about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  shore,  feeding  in 
deep  water. 

We  were  well  concealed  by  the  various  trees 
which  grew  upon  the  dam,  and  we  passed  half  an 
hour  in  watching  the  manoeuvres  of  the  great  beasts 
as  they  bathed  and  sported  in  the  cool  water.  How- 
ever, this  was  not  elephant  shooting,  and  the  question 
was,  how  to  get  at  them.  The  natives  had  no  idea  of 
the  sport,  as  they  seemed  to  think  it  very  odd  that 
we  did  not  fire  at  those  within  a  hundred  paces  dis- 
tance. I  now  regretted  my  absent  gun-bearers,  as  I 
plainly  saw  that  these  village  people  would  be  worse 
than  useless. 

We  determined  to  take  a  stroll  along  the  base  of 
the  dam  to  reconnoitre  the  ground,  as  at  present  it 
seemed  impossible  to  make  an  attack,  and  even  were 
the  elephants  within  the  forest  there  appeared  to  be 
no  possibility  of  following  them  up  through  such  deep 
water  and  heavy  ground  with  any  chance  of  success. 
However,  they  were  not  in  the  forest,  being  safe, 
belly  and  shoulder  deep  in  the  tank. 

We  strolled  through  mud  and  water  thigh  deep 
for  a  few  hundred  paces,  when  we  suddenly  came 
upon  the  spot,  where  in  ages  past  the  old  dam  had 
been  carried  away.  Here  the  natives  had  formed  a 
mud  embankment  strengthened  by  sticks  and  wattels. 
Poor  fellows !  we  were  not  surprised  at  their  wishing 
the  elephants  destroyed  ;  the  repair  of  their  fragile 


234  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  tx. 

dam  was  now  a  daily  occupation,  for  the  elephants, 
as  though  out  of  pure  mischief,  had  chosen  this  spot 
as  their  thoroughfare  to  and  from  the  lake,  and  the 
dam  was  trodden  down  in  all  directions. 

We  found  that  the  margin  of  the  forest  was 
everywhere  flooded  to  a  width  of  about  200  yards, 
after  which  it  was  tolerably  dry.  We  therefore  re- 
turned to  our  former  post. 

It  struck  me  that  the  only  way  to  secure  a  shot  at 
the  herd  would  be  to  employ  a  ruse,  which  I  had  once 
practised  successfully  some  years  ago.  Accordingly 
we  sent  the  greater  part  of  the  villagers  for  about  half 
a  mile  along  the  edge  of  the  lake,  with  orders  to 
shout  and  make  a  grand  huUaballoo  on  arriving  at 
their  station.  It  seemed  most  probable  that  upon 
being  disturbed,  the  elephants  would  retreat  to  the 
forest  by  their  usual  thoroughfare ;  we  accordingly 
stood  on  the  alert,  ready  for  a  rush  to  any  given  point 
which  the  herd  should  attempt  in  their  retreat. 

Some  time  passed  in  expectation,  when  a  sudden 
yell  broke  from  the  far  point,  as  though  twenty 
demons  had  cramp  in  the  stomach.  Gallant  fellows 
are  the  Cingalese  at  making  a  noise,  and  a  grand 
effect  this  had  upon  the  elephants  ;  up  went  tails  and 
trunks,  the  whole  herd  closed  together,  and  made  a 
simultaneous  rush  for  their  old  thoroughfare.  Away 
we  skipped  through  the  water  straight  in  shore 
through  the  forest,  until  we  reached  the  dry  ground, 


CHAP.  IX.  ELEPHANT  SHOOTING.  235 

when,  turning  sharp  to  our  right,  we  soon  halted 
exactly  opposite  the  point  at  which  we  knew  the 
elephants  would  enter  the  forest.  This  was  grand 
excitement ;  we  had  a  great  start  of  the  herd,  so  that 
we  had  plenty  of  time  to  arrange  gun-bearers,  and 
take  our  positions  for  the  rencontre. 

In  the  mean  time  the  roar  of  water  caused  by  the 
rapid  passage  of  so  many  large  animals  approached 
nearer  and  nearer.  Palliser  and  I  had  taken  splendid 
positions  so  as  to  command  either  side  of  the  herd  on 
their  arrival,  with  our  gun -bearers  squatted  around  us 
behind  our  respective  trees,  while  the  non-sporting 
village  followers,  who  now  began  to  think  the  matter 
rather  serious,  and  totally  devoid  of  fun,  scrambled  up 
various  large  trees  with  ape-like  activity. 

A  few  minutes  of  glorious  suspense,  and  the  grand 
crash  and  roar  of  broken  water  approached  close  at 
hand  ;  we  distinguished  the  mighty  phalanx  headed 
by  the  largest  elephants  bearing  down  exactly  upon 
us,  and  not  a  hundred  yards  distant.  Here  was  luck ! 
There  was  a  grim  and  very  murderous  smile  of  satis- 
faction on  either  countenance  as  we  quietly  cocked  the 
rifles  and  awaited  the  onset :  it  was  our  intention  to 
let  half  the  herd  pass  us  before  we  opened  upon  them, 
as  we  should  then  be  in  the  very  centre  of  the  mass, 
and  be  able  to  get  good  and  rapid  shooting. 

On  came  the  herd  in  gallant  style,  throwing  the 
spray  from  the  muddy  water,   and  keeping  a  direct 

R2 


23^  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  tx. 

line  for  our  concealed  position.  They  were  within 
twenty  yards,  and  we  were  still  undiscovered,  when 
those  rascally  villagers,  who  had  already  taken  to  the 
trees,  scrambled  still  higher  in  their  fright  at  the  close 
approach  of  the  elephants,  and  by  this  movement 
they  gave  immediate  alarm  to  the  leaders  of  the  herd. 
Round  went  the  colossal  heads  ;  right  about,  was 
the  word,  and  away  dashed  the  whole  herd  back 
towards  the  tank.  In  the  same  instant  we  made  a 
rush  in  among  them,  and  I  floored  one  of  the  big 
leaders  by  a  shot  behind  the  ear,  and  immediately 
after,  as  bad  luck  would  have  it,  Palliser  and  I  both 
took  the  same  bird,  and  down  went  another  to  the 
joint  shots.  Palliser  then  got  another  shot  and  bagged 
one  more,  when  the  herd  pushed  straight  out  to  the 
deep  lake,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  elephants,  who 
turned  to  the  right  ;  after  which,  Palliser  hurried 
through  the  mud  and  water,  while  I  put  on  all  steam 
in  chase  of  the  main  body  of  the  herd.  It  is  astonish- 
ing to  what  an  amount  a  man  can  get  up  this  said 
steam  in  such  a  pitch  of  excitement.  However,  it 
was  of  no  use  in  this  case,  as  I  was  soon  hip  deep  in 
water,  and  there  was  an  end  to  all  pursuit  in  that 
direction. 

It  immediately  struck  me  that  the  elephants  would 
again  retreat  to  some  other  part  of  the  forest  after 
having  made  a  circuit  in  the  tank ;  I  accordingly 
waded   back  at  my  best  speed   to  terra  firma^  and 


CHAP.  IX.  THE  RENCONTRE.  237 

then,  striking  off  to  my  right,  I  ran  along  parallel  to 
the  water  for  about  half  a  mile,  fully  expecting  to 
meet  the  herd  once  more  on  their  entrance  to  the 
jungle.  It  was  now  that  I  deplored  the  absence  of 
my  regular  gun-bearers ;  the  village  people  had  no 
taste  for  this  gigantic  scale  of  amusement,  and  the 
men  who  carried  my  guns  would  not  keep  up ;  fortu- 
nately, Carrasi,  the  best  gun-bearer,  was  there,  and  he 
had  taken  another  loaded  rifle,  after  handing  me  that 
which  he  had  carried  at  the  onset.  I  waited  a  few 
moments  for  the  lagging  men,  and  succeeded  in 
getting  them  well  together,  just  as  I  heard  the  rush  of 
water,  as  the  elephants  were  again  entering  the  jungle, 
not  far  in  advance  of  the  spot  upon  which  I  stood. 

This  time  they  were  sharp  on  the  qui  vive,  and  the 
bulls,  being  well  to  the  front,  were  keeping  a  bright 
look-out.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  endeavoured  to  con- 
ceal myself  until  the  herd  had  got  well  into  the  forest ; 
the  gun-bearers  behind  me  did  not  take  the  same 
precaution,  and  the  leading  elephants  both  saw  and 
winded  us,  when  at  a  hundred  paces  distant.  This 
time,  however,  they  were  determined  to  push  on  for  a 
piece  of  thicker  jungle,  which  they  knew  lay  in  this 
direction,  and  upon  seeing  me  running  towards  them, 
they  did  not  turn  back  to  the  lake,  but  slightly  altered 
their  course  in  an  oblique  direction,  still  continuing  to 
push  on  through  the  forest,  while  I  was  approaching 
at  right  angles  with  the  herd. 


338  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ix. 

Hallooing  and  screaming  at  them  with  all  my 
might,  to  tease  some  of  the  old  bulls  into  a  charge,  I 
ran  at  top  speed  through  the  fine  open  forest,  and 
soon  got  among  a  whole  crowd  of  half-grown 
elephants,  at  which  I  would  not  fire  ;  there  were  a  lot 
of  fine  beasts  pushing  along  in  the  front,  and  towards 
these  I  ran  as  hard  as  I  could  go.  Unfortunately,  the 
herd  seeing  me  so  near,  and  gaining  upon  them,  took 
to  the  ruse  of  a  beaten  fleet  and  scattered  in  all 
directions ;  but  J  kept  a  few  big  fellows  in  view,  who 
were  still  pretty  well  together,  and  managed  to  over- 
take the  rearmost  and  knock  him  over.  Up  went  the 
tail  and  trunk  of  one  of  the  leading  bulls  at  the  report 
of  the  shot,  and  trumpeting  shrilly,  he  ran  first  to  one 
side  then  to  the  other,  with  his  ears  cocked,  and 
sharply  turning  his  head.  I  knew  this  fellow  had  his 
monkey  up,  and  that  a  little  teasing  would  bring  him 
round  for  a  charge.  I  therefore  redoubled  my  shouts 
and  yells,  and  kept  on  in  full  chase,  as  the  elephants 
were  straining  every  nerve  to  reach  a  piece  of  thick 
jungle,  within  a  couple  of  hundred  paces. 

I  could  not  go  any  faster,  and  I  saw  that  the  herd, 
which  was  thirty  or  forty  yards  ahead  of  me,  would 
gain  the  jungle  before  I  could  overtake  them,  as  they 
were  going  at  a  slapping  pace,  and  I  was  tolerably 
blown  with  a  long  run  at  full  speed,  part  of  which 
had  been  through  deep  mud  and   water.     But  I  still 


CHAP.  IX.  THE   CHARGE.  239 

teased  the  bull,  who  was  now  in  such  an  excited  state, 
that  I  felt  convinced  he  would  turn  to  charge. 

The  leading  elephants  rushed  into  the  thick  jungle 
closely  followed  by  the  others,  and,  to  my  astonish- 
ment, my  excited  friend,  who  had  lagged  to  the  rear, 
followed  their  example.  But  it  was  only  for  a  few 
seconds,  for,  on  entering  the  thick  bushes,  he  wheeled 
sharp  round  and  came  rushing  out  in  full  charge. 
This  was  very*plucky,  but  very  foolish,  as  his  retreat 
was  secured  when  in  the  thick  jungle,  and  yet  he 
courted  further  battle.  This  he  soon  had  enough  of, 
as  I  bagged  him  in  his  onset  with  my  remaining  barrel 
by  the  forehead  shot. 

I  now  heard  a  tremendous  roaring  of  elephants 
behind  me,  as  though  another  section  was  coming 
in  from  the  tank ;  this  I  hoped  to  meet.  I  therefore 
reloaded  the  empty  rifles  as  quickly  as  possible,  and 
ran  towards  the  spot.  The  roaring  still  continued, 
and  was  apparently  almost  stationary,  and  what  was 
my  disappointment  on  arrival,  to  find,  in  place  of  the 
expected  herd,  a  young  elephant  of  about  four  feet 
high,  who  had  missed  the  main  body  in  the  retreat, 
and  was  now  roaring  for  his  departed  friends.  These 
young  things  are  excessively  foolhardy  and  wilful, 
and  he  charged  me  the  moment  I  arrived.  As  I  laid 
the  rifle  upon  the  ground,  instead  of  firing  at  him,  the 
rascally  gun-bearers,  with  the  exception  of  Carrasi, 
threw  down  the  rifles  and  ran  up  the  trees  like  so 


*40  EIGHT   YEARS  IN   CEYLON.  chap.  ix. 

many  monkeys,  just  as  1  had  jumped  on  one  side 
and  caught  the  young  elephant  by  the  tail.  He 
was  far  too  strong  for  me  to  hold,  and,  although  I 
dug  my  heels  into  the  ground  and  held  on  with  all 
my  might,  he  fairly  ran  away  with  me  through  the 
forest.  Carrasi  now  came  to  my  assistance,  and 
likewise  held  on  by  his  tail ;  but  away  we  went  like 
the  tender  to  a  steam-engine  ;  wherever  the  elephant 
went,  there  we  were  dragged  in  company.  Another 
man  now  came  to  the  rescue  ;  but  his  assistance  was 
not  of  the  slightest  use,  as  the  animal  was  so  powerful 
and  of  such  weight  that  he  could  have  run  away  with 
half  a  dozen  of  us  unless  his  legs  were  tied.  Unfor- 
tunately, we  had  no  rope,  or  I  could  have  secured 
him  immediately,  and  seeing  that  we  had  no  power 
over  him  whatever,  I  was  obliged  to  run  back  for  one 
of  the  guns  to  shoot  him.  On  my  return,  it  was 
laughable  to  see  the  pace  at  which  he  was  running 
away  with  the  two  men  who  were  holding  on  to  his 
tail  like  grim  death,  the  elephant  not  having  ceased 
roaring  during  the  run.  I  accordingly  settled  him, 
and  returned  to  have  a  little  conversation  with  the 
rascals  who  were  still  perched  in  the  trees.  I  was 
extremely  annoyed,  as  these  people,  if  they  had 
possessed  a  grain  of  sense,  might  have  tied  their 
long  comboys  (cotton  cloths  about  eight  feet  long) 
together,  and  we  might  have  thus  secured  the 
elephant   without  difficulty,  by  tying  his  hind  legs. 


CHAP.  IX.  A   HUNTED    VILLAGER.  241 

It  was  a  great  loss,  as  he  was  so  large  that  he  might 
have  been  domesticated  and  driven  to  Newera  EUia 
without  the  slightest  trouble.  All  this  was  occa- 
sioned by  the  cowardice  of  these  villanous  Cingalese, 
and  upon  my  lecturing  one  fellow  on  his  conduct,  he 
began  to  laugh.  This  was  too  much  for  any  person's 
patience,  and  1  began  to  look  for  a  stick,  which  the 
fellow  perceiving,  he  immediately  started  off  through 
the  forest  like  a  deer.  He  could  run  faster  than  I 
could,  being  naked,  and  having  the  advantage  of  bare 
feet ;  but  I  knew  I  could  run  him  down  in  the  course 
of  time,  especially  as,  being  in  a  fright,  he  would 
soon  get  blown.  We  had  a  most  animated  hunt 
through  water,  mud,  roots  of  trees,  open  forest,  and 
all  kinds  of  ground ;  but  I  ran  into  him  at  last  in 
heavy  ground,  and  I  dare  say  he  recollects  the  day  of 
the  month. 

In  the  mean  time,  Palliser  had  heard  the  roar- 
ing of  the  elephant,  followed  by  the  screaming  of  the 
coolies,  and  succeeded  by  a  shot.  Shortly  after, 
he  heard  the  prolonged  yells  of  the  hunted  villager, 
while  he  was  hastening  towards  my  direction.  This 
combination  of  sounds  naturally  led  him  to  expect 
that  some  accident  had  occurred,  especially  as  the 
cries  indicated  that  somebody  had  come  to  grief 
This  caused  him  a  very  laborious  run,  and  he  arrived 
thoroughly  blown,  and  with  a  natural  desire  to  kick 
the  recreant  villager  who  had  caused  the  uproar. 


242  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ix. 

If  the  ground  had  been  even  tolerably  dry,  we 
should  have  killed  a  large  number  of  elephants 
out  of  this  herd  ;  but,  as  it  happened,  in  such  deep 
mud  and  water,  the  elephants  had  it  all  their  own 
way,  and  our  joint  bag  could  not  produce  more  than 
seven  tails  ;  however,  this  was  far  more  than  I  had 
expected  when  I  first  saw  the  herd  in  such  a  secure 
position. 

On  our  return  to  the  village,  we  found  Palliser's 
horse  terribly  gored  by  a  buffalo,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  leave  him  behind  for  some  weeks ;  for- 
tunately there  was  an  extra  pony,  which  served  him 
as  a  mount  home,  a  distance  of  1 50  miles. 

4r  «  «  ^  «  « 

This  has  been  a  sad  digression  from  our  argu- 
ment upon  instinct  and  reason,  a  most  unreasonable 
departure  from  the  subject ;  but  this  is  my  great  mis- 
fortune :  so  sure  as  I  bring  forward  the  name  of  an 
elephant,  the  pen  lays  hold  of  some  old  story,  and 
runs  madly  away  in  a  day's  shooting.  I  now  have 
to  speak  of  the  reasoning  powers  of  the  canine  race, 
and  I  confess  my  weakness.  I  feel  perfectly  certain 
that  the  pen  will  serve  me  the  same  trick,  and  that  it 
will  be  plunging  through  a  day's  hunting  to  prove  the 
existence  of  reason  in  a  hound,  and  the  want  of  it  in 
the  writer.  Thrash  me,  good  critics,  I  deserve  it ; 
lay  it  on  with  an  unsparing  thong.  I  am  humiliated, 
but  still  wilful  ;  I  know  my  fault,  but  still  continue  it. 


CHAP.  TX.  SAGACITY  OF  DOGS.  243 

Let  us  think  ; — what  was  the  subject  ?  Reason 
in  dogs,  to  be  sure.  Well,  every  one  who  has  a  dog 
n>ust  admit  that  he  has  a  strong  share  of  reason : 
only  observe  him  as  he  sits  by  your  side  and  wist- 
fully watches  the  endless  transit  of  piece  after  piece, 
bit  after  bit,  as  the  fork  is  conveying  delicate  morsels 
to  your  mouth.  There  is  neither  hope  nor  despair 
exhibited  in  his  countenance, — he  knows  those  pieces 
are  not  for  him.  There  is  an  expression  of  im- 
patience about  the  eye,  as  he  scans  your  features, 
which  seems  to  say,  'Greedy  fellow,  what,  not  one 
bit  for  me  } '  Only  cut  a  slice  from  the  exterior  of 
the  joint,  a  piece  that  he  knows  you  will  not  eat,  and 
watch  the  change  and  eagerness  of  his  expression  ; 
he  knows  as  well  as  you  do  that  this  is  intended  for 
him, — he  has  reasoned  upon  it. 

This  is  the  simple  and  every-day  performance  of 
a  common  house-dog.  Observe  the  pointers  in  a 
field  of  close-cut  stubble — two  well  broken,  reason- 
able old  dogs.  The  birds  are  wild,  and  have  been 
flushed  several  times  during  the  day,  and  the  old  dog 
has  winded  them  now  in  this  close-cut  stubble,  from 
which  he  knows  the  covey  will  rise  at  a  long  range. 
Watch  his  expression  of  intense,  and  yet  careful  ex- 
citement as  he  draws  upon  his  game,  step  by  step, 
crouching  close  to  the  ground,  and  occasionally 
moving  his  head  slowly  round  to  see  if  his  master  is 
close  up.     Look  at  the  bitch  at  the  other  end  of  the 


344  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ix. 

field,  backing  him  like  a  statue,  while  the  old  dog 
still  creeps  on.  Not  a  step  further  will  he  move  ;  his 
lower  jaw  trembles  with  excitement ;  the  guns 
advance  to  a  line  with  his  shoulder ;  up  they  rise, 
whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z  ! — bang! — bang!  See  how  the  ex- 
citement of  the  dog  is  calmed  as  he  falls  to  the  down 
charge,  and  afterwards  with  what  pleasure  he  follows 
up  and  stands  to  the  dead  birds.  If  this  is  not 
reason,  there  is  no  such  thing  in  existence. 

Again,  look  at  the  sheep-dog,  what  can  be  more 
beautiful  than  to  watch  the  judgment  displayed  by 
these  dogs  in  driving  a  large  flock  of  sheep } 
Then  turn  to  the  Mont  St.  Bernard  dog,  and  the 
Newfoundland,  and  countless  instances  could  be 
produced  as  proofs  of  their  wonderful  share  of 
reasoning  power. 

The  different  classes  of  hounds  being  kept  in 
kennels  do  not  exhibit  this  quality  to  the  same 
amount  as  many  others,  as  they  are  not  sufficiently 
domesticated,  and  their  intercourse  with  man  is  con- 
fined to  the  one  particular  branch  of  hunting  ;  but  in 
this  pursuit  they  will  afford  many  striking  proofs  that 
they,  in  like  manner  with  their  other  brethren,  are  not 
devoid  of  the  reasoning  power. 

Poor  old  '  Bluebeard  ; ' — he  had  an  almost  human 
share  of  understanding,  but  being  simply  a  hound, 
this  was  confined  to  elk  hunting.  He  was  like 
the  fox-hunter  of  the  last  century,  whose   ideas  did 


CHAP.  IX.  BLUEBEARD.  *45 

not  extend  beyond  his  sport  ;  but  in  this  he  was 
perfect. 

Bluebeard  was  a  foxhound,  bred  at  Newera  EUia 
in  1847  by  F.  J.  Templer,  Esq.  He  subsequently 
belonged  to  F.  H.  Palliser,  Esq.,  who  kindly  added 
him  to  my  kennel. 

He  was  a  wonderful  hound  on  a  cold  scent,  and 
so  thoroughly  was  he  versed  in  all  the  habits  of  an 
elk.  that  he  knew  exactly  where  to  look  for  one.  I 
am  convinced  that  he  knew  the  date  of  a  track  from 
its  appearance,  as  I  have  constantly  seen  him  shove 
his  nose  into  the  deep  impression,  to  try  for  a  scent 
when  the  track  was  some  eight  or  ten  hours  old. 

It  was  a  curious  thing  to  watch  his  cleverness  at 
finding  on  a  patina.  In  most  of  the  plains  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Newera  Ellia,  a  small  stream  flows 
through  the  centre.  To  this  the  elk,  who  are  out 
feeding  in  the  night,  are  sure  to  repair  at  about  four 
in  the  morning  for  their  last  drink,  and  I  usually  try 
along  the  banks  a  little  after  daylight  for  a  find, 
where  the  scent  is  fresh,  and  the  tracks  are  distinctly 
visible. 

When  every  hound  has  been  eagerly  winding  the 
scent  upon  the  circuitous  route  which  the  elk  has 
made  in  grazing,  Bluebeard  would  never  waste  his 
time  in  attempting  to  follow  the  innumerable  wind- 
ings, but,  taking  a  fresh  cast,  he  would  invariably 
strike  off  to  the  jungle  and  try  along  the  edge,  until 


240  E2GHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON,  chap,  tx 

he  reached  the  spot  at  which  the  elk  had  entered. 
At  these  times  he  committed  the  only  fault  which  he 
possessed  (for  an  elk  hound) ;  he  would  immediately 
open  upon  the  scent,  and,  by  alarming  the  elk  at  too 
great  a  distance,  would  give  him  too  long  a  start 
Nevertheless,  he  made  up  for  this  by^  his  wonderful 
correctness  and  knowledge  of  his  game,  and  if  the 
run  was  increased  in  length  by  his  early  note,  we 
nevertheless  ran  into  our  game  at  last. 

Some  years  ago  he  met  with  an  accident,  which 
partly  deprived  him  of  the  use  of  one  of  his  hind  legs ; 
this  made  the  poor  old  fellow  very  slow  ;  but  it  did 
not  interfere  with  his  finding  and  hunting,  although 
the  rest  of  the  pack  ivould  shoot  ahead,  and  the  elk 
was  frequently  brought  to  bay  and  killed  before  old 
Bluebeard  had  finished  his  hunt ;  but  he  was  never 
thrown  out,  and  was  sure  to  come  up  at  last ;  and 
if  the  pack  were  at  fault  during  the  run,  he  was 
the  hound  to  show  them  the  right  road  on  his 
arrival. 

I  once  saw  an  interesting  proof  of  his  reasoning 
powers  during  a  long  and  difficult  hunt. 

I  was  hunting  for  a  few  days  at  the  Augora 
patinas,  accompanied  by  Palliser.  These  are  about 
five  hundred  feet  lower  than  Newera  Ellia,  and  are 
situated  in  the  district  of  Dimboola.  They  are  com- 
posed of  undulating  knolls  of  fine  grass,  with  a  large 
and  deep   river  flowing  through  the  centre.     These 


CHAP.  IX.  BLUEBEARD'S  HUNT.  247 

patinas  are  surrounded  by  wooded  hills  of  good  open 
jungle. 

We  had  found  upon  the  patina  at  break  of  day, 
and  the  whole  pack  had  gone  off  in  full  cry ;  but  the 
whereabouts  was  very  uncertain,  and  having  long  lost 
all  sound  of  the  hounds,  we  wandered  here  and  there 
to  no  purpose.  At  length  we  separated,  and  took  up 
our  stations  upon  different  knolls  to  watch  the  patina, 
and  to  listen. 

The  hill  upon  which  I  stood  commanded  an  ex- 
tensive view  of  the  patina,  while  the  broad  river 
flowed  at  the  base,  after  its  exit  from  the  jungle.  I 
had  been  only  a  few  minutes  at  my  post,  when  I 
observed,  at  about  600  yards'  distance,  a  strong  ripple 
in  the  river  like  the  letter  V,  and  it  immediately 
struck  me  that  an  elk  had  come  down  the  river  from 
the  jungle,  and  was  swimming  down  the  stream.  This 
was  soon  proved  to  be  the  case,  as  I  saw  the  head  of 
a  doe  elk  in  the  acute  angle  of  the  ripple. 

I  had  the  greyhounds  with  me,  '  Lucifer,*  *  Lena,' 
*  Hecate,'  and  *  Bran,'  and  I  ran  down  the  hill  with 
these  dogs,  hoping  to  get  them  a  view  of  her  as 
she  landed  on  the  patina.  I  had  several  bogs  and 
hollows  to  cross,  and  I  accordingly  lost  sight  of  the 
elk ;  but  upon  arriving  at  the  spot  where  I  imagined 
the  elk  would  land,  I  saw  her  going  off  across  the 
patina,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away.  The  greyhounds 
saw  her,   and  away  they  flew  over  the  short  grass, 

S 


248  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  ix. 

while  the  pack  began  to  appear  from  the  jungle, 
having  come  down  to  the  halloo  that  I  had  given  on 
first  seeing  the  elk  swimming  down  the  river. 

The  elk  seemed  determined  to  give  a  beautiful 
course,  for,  instead  of  pushing  straight  for  the  jungle, 
she  made  a  great  circuit  on  the  patina  as  though  in 
the  endeavour  to  make  once  more  for  the  river.  The 
long-legged  ones  were  going  at  a  tremendous  pace, 
and,  being  fresh,  they  rapidly  overhauled  her  ;  gradu- 
ally the  distance  between  them  diminished,  and  at 
length  they  had  a  fair  course  down  a  gentle  inclina- 
tion which  led  towards  the  river.  Here  the  grey- 
hounds soon  made  an  end  of  the  hunt ;  their  game 
was  within  a  hundred  yards,  going  at  top  speed  ;  but 
it  was  all  up  with  the  elk ;  the  pace  was  too  good,  and 
they  ran  into  her  and  pulled  her  down  just  as  the 
other  hounds  had  come  down  upon  my  scent. 

We  were  cutting  up  the  elk,  when  we  presently 
heard  old  Bluebeard's  voice  far  away  in  the  jungle, 
and,  thinking  that  he  might  perhaps  be  running 
another  elk,  we  ran  to  a  hill  which  overlooked  the 
river  and  kept  a  bright  look-out.  We  soon  discovered 
that  he  was  true  upon  the  same  game,  and  we  watched 
his  plan  of  hunting,  being  anxious  to  see  whether  he 
could  hunt  up  an  elk  that  had  kept  to  water  for  so 
long  a  time. 

On  his  entrance  to  the  patina  by  the  river's  hank 
he  immediately  took  to  v/ater  and  swam  across  the 


CHAP.  IX.  A    TRUE  HOUND.  2.19 

Stream  ;  here  he  carefully  hunted  the  edge  for  several 
hundred  yards  down  the  river,  but,  finding  nothing, 
he  returned  to  the  jungle  at  the  point  from  which 
the  river  flowed.  Here  he  again  took  to  water,  and, 
swimming  back  to  the  bank  from  which  he  had  at 
first  started,  he  landed  and  made  a  vain  cast  down 
the  hollow.  He  returned  back  after  his  fruitless 
search,  and  once  more  took  to  water.  I  began  to 
despair  of  the  possibility  of  his  finding ;  but  the  true 
old  hound  was  now  swimming  steadily  down  the 
stream,  crossing  and  re-crossing  from  either  bank, 
and  still  pursuing  his  course  down  the  river.  At 
length  he  neared  the  spot  where  I  knew  that  the  elk 
had  landed,  and  we  eagerly  watched  to  see  if  he 
would  pass  the  scent,  as  he  was  now  several  yards 
from  the  bank.  He  was  nearly  abreast  of  the  spot, 
when  he  turned  sharp  in  and  landed  in  the  exact 
place;  his  deep  and  joyous  note  rang  across  the 
patinas,  and  away  went  the  gallant  old  hound  in  full 
cry  upon  the  scent,  while  I  could  not  help  shouting 
'  Hurrah  for  old  Bluebeard!'  In  a  few  minutes  he 
was  by  the  side  of  the  dead  elk,  a  specimen  of  a  true 
hound,  who  certainly  had  exhibited  a  large  share  of 
'  reason.' 


s  2 


250  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Wild  Fruits — Ingredients  for  a  Soupe  maigre — Orchidaceous  Plants 
— Wild  Nutmegs — Native  Oils — Cinnamon — Primeval  Forests- 
Valuable  Woods— The  Mahawelli  River — Variety  of  Palms — 
Cocoa-nut  Toddy — Arrack — Cocoa-nut  Oil — Cocoa-nut  Planting — 
The  Talipot  Palm — The  Areca  Palm — Betel  Chewing — Sago  Nuts- 
Variety  of  Bees — Waste  of  Bees' -wax — Edible  Fungi — Narcotic  Puff 
Ball — Intoxicating  Drugs — Poisoned  Cakes — The  *  Sack  Tree ' — No 
Gum  Trees  of  Value  in  Ceylon. 

Among  the  inexperienced  there  is  a  prevalent  idea 
connected  with  tropical  forests  and  jungles,  that  they 
teem  with  wild  fruits,  which  Nature  is  supposed  to 
produce  spontaneously.  Nothing  can  be  more  erro- 
neous than  such  an  opinion  ;  even  edible  berries  are 
scantily  supplied  by  the  wild  shrubs  and  trees,  and 
these,  in  lieu  of  others  of  superior  quality,  are  some- 
times dignified  by  the  name  of  fruit. 

The  Guava  and  the  Katumbillc  are  certainly  very 
numerous  throughout  the  Ouva  district ;  the  latter 
being  a  dark  red,  rough-skinned  kind  of  plum,  the 
size  of  a  greengage,  but  free  from  stone.  It  grows 
upon  a  thorny  bush  about  fifteen  feet  high  ;  but  the 
fruit  is  too  acid  to  please  most  palates  ;  the  extreme 
thirst  produced  by  a  day's  shooting  in  a  burning  sun 


CHAP.  X.  IV/LD   FORESTS,  251 

makes  it  refreshing  when  plucked  from  the  tree ;  but 
it  does  not  aspire  to  the  honour  of  a  place  at  the 
table,  where  it  can  only  appear  in  the  form  of  red 
currant  jelly,  for  which  it  is  an  undeniable  substitute. 

Excellent  blackberries  and  a  very  large  and  full- 
flavoured  black  raspberry  grow  at  Newera  Ellia  ;  like- 
wise the  Cape  gooseberry,  which  is  of  the  genus 
*  Solanum.'  The  latter  is  a  round  yellow  berry,  the 
size  of  a  cherry ;  this  is  enclosed  in  a  loose  bladder, 
which  forms  an  outer  covering.  The  flavour  is  highly 
aromatic,  but,  like  most  Ceylon  wild  fruits,  it  is  too 
acid. 

The  sweetest  and  best  of  the  jungle  productions  is 
the  *  Morra.'  This  is  a  berry  about  the  size  of  a  small 
nutmeg,  which  grows  in  clusters  upon  a  large  tree  of 
rich  dark  foliage.  The  exterior  of  the  berry  is  brown 
and  slightly  rough  ;  the  skin,  or  rather  the  case,  is 
brittle,  and  of  the  consistence  of  an  egg-shell ;  this, 
when  broken  and  peeled  off,  exposes  a  semi-trans- 
parent pulp,  like  a  skinned  grape  in  appearance  and 
in  flavour.  It  is  extremely  juicy  ;  but,  unfortunately, 
a  large  black  stone  occupies  the  centre  and  at  least 
one-half  of  the  bulk  of  the  entire  fruit 

The  Jambo  apple  is  a  beautiful  fruit  in  appearance, 
being  the  fac-simile  of  a  snow-white  pear  formed  of 
wax,  with  a  pink  blush  upon  one  side.  Its  exterior 
beauty  is  all  that  it  can  boast  of,  as  the  fruit  itself  is 
vapid  and  tasteless.    In  fact,  all  wild  fruits  are  for  the 


252  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

most  part  great  exaggerations.  I  have  seen  in  a  work 
on  Ceylon  the  miserable  little  acid  berry  of  the  rattan, 
which  is  no  larger  than  a  currant,  described  as  a  fruit : 
hawthorn  berries  might  with  equal  justice  be  classed 
among  the  fruits  of  Great  Britain. 

I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  these  paltry  pro- 
ductions in  detail  ;  there  is  necessarily  a  great  variety 
throughout  the  island  ;  but  their  insignificance  does 
not  entitle  them  to  a  description,  which  would  raise 
them  far  above  their  real  merit 

It  is  nevertheless  most  useful  to  a  sportsman  in 
Ceylon  to  possess  a  sufficient  stock  of  botanical  infor- 
mation for  his  personal  convenience.  A  man  may  be 
lost  in  the  jungle^,  or  hard  up  for  provisions  in  some 
out-of-the-way  place,  where,  if  he  has  only  a  saucepan, 
he  can  generally  procure  something  eatable  in  the 
way  of  herbs.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that 
he  would  succeed  in  making  a  good  dinner;  the 
reader  may  at  any  time  procure  something  similar 
in  England  by  restricting  himself  to  nettle- tops — an 
economical,  but  not  a  fattening,  vegetable.  Any- 
thing, however  simple,  is  better  than  an  empty 
stomach,  and  when  the  latter  is  positively  empty,  it 
is  wonderful  how  the  appetite  welcomes  the  most 
miserable  fare. 

At  Newera  Ellia  the  jungles  would  always  pro- 
duce a  supply  for  a  soupe  maigre.  There  is  an  esculent 
nillho  which  grows  in  the  forest  in  the  bottoms  of  the 


CHAP.  X.  ORCHIDACEOUS  PLANTS.  253 

swampy  ravines.  This  is  a  most  succulent  plant, 
which  grows  to  the  height  or  length  of  about  seven 
feet,  as  its  great  weight  keeps  it  close  to  the  ground. 
It  is  so  brittle  that  it  snaps  like  a  cucumber  when 
struck  by  a  stick,  and  it  bears  a  delicate  dark  blue 
blossom.  When  stewed,  it  is  as  tender  as  the  vege- 
table marrow  ;  but  its  flavour  approaches  more  closely 
to  that  of  the  cucumber.  Wild  ginger  also  abounds 
in  the  forests.  This  is  a  coarse  variety  of  the  *  Amo- 
mum  zingiber.'  The  leaves,  which  spring  from  the 
ground,  attain  a  height  of  seven  or  eight  feet ;  a  large 
crimson  fleshy  blossom  also  springs  from  the  ground 
in  the  centre  of  the  surrounding  leaf-stems.  The  root 
is  coarse,  large,  but  wanting  in  fine  flavour,  although 
the  young  tubers  are  exceedingly  tender  and  delicate. 
This  is  the  favourite  food  of  elephants  on  the  Ceylon 
mountains  ;  but  it  is  a  curious  fact  that  they  invariably 
reject  the  leaves  which  anyone  would  suppose  would 
be  their  choicest  morsel,  as  they  are  both  succulent 
and  plentiful.  The  elephants  simply  use  them  as  a 
handle  for  tearing  up  the  roots,  which  they  bite  off 
and  devour,  throwing  the  leaves  on  one  side. 

The  wild  parsnip  is  also  indigenous  to  the  plains 
on  the  mountains.  As  usual  with  most  wild  plants  of 
this  class,  they  have  little  or  no  root,  but  run  to  leaf. 
The  seeds  are  very  highly  flavoured,  and  are  gathered 
by  the  natives  for  their  curries. 

There  is  likewise  a  beautiful  orchidaceous  plant, 


254  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

which  is  veiy  common  throughout  the  patinas  on  the 
mountains,  and  which  produces  the  very  finest  quality 
of  arrowroot.  So  much  is  this  valued  in  the  Nepaul 
country  in  India,  that  I  have  been  assured  by  a  person 
well  acquainted  with  that  locality  that  this  quality  of 
arrowroot  is  usually  sold  for  its  weight  in  rupees.  In 
vain  have  I  explained  this  to  the  Cingalese  ;  they  will 
not  attempt  its  preparation,  because  their  fathers  did 
not  eat  it ;  and  yet  these  same  men  will  walk  forty 
miles  to  cut  a  bundle  of  sticks  of  the  Galla  Gaha  tree 
for  driving  buffaloes ! — their  fathers  did  this,  and 
therefore  they  do  it.  Thus  this  beautiful  plant  is  only 
appreciated  by  those  whose  instinct  leads  them  to  its 
discovery.  The  wild  hogs  plough  up  the  patinas  and 
revel  in  this  delicate  food.  The  plant  itself  is  almost 
lost  in  the  rank  herbage  of  the  patinas ;  but  its 
beautiful  pink  hyacinth-shaped  blossom  attracts  im- 
mediate attention.  Few  plants  combine  beauty  of 
appearance,  scent,  and  utility  ;  but  this  is  the  per- 
fection of  each  quality — nothing  can  surpass  the  deli- 
cacy and  richness  of  its  perfume.  It  has  two  small 
bulbs  about  an  inch  below  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
and  these  when  broken,  exhibit  a  highly  granulated 
texture,  semi-transparent  like  half-boiled  sago.  From 
these  bulbs  the  arrowroot  is  produced  by  pounding 
them  in  water  and  drying  the  precipitated  farina  in 
the  sun. 

There  are  several  beautiful  varieties  of  orchida- 


CHA^.  X  miD  NUTMEGS.  255 

ceous  plants  upon  the  mountains,  among  others) 
several  species  of  the  Dendrobium.  Its  rich  yellow 
flowers  hang  in  clusters  from  a  withered  tree,  the  only 
sign  of  life  upon  a  giant  trunk  decayed,  like  a  wreath 
upon  a  grave.  The  scent  of  this  flower  is  well  known 
as  most  delicious  ;  one  plant  will  perfume  a  large 
room. 

There  is  one  variety  of  this  tribe  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Newera  Ellia,  which  is  certainly  unknown  in 
English  collections.  It  blossoms  in  April ;  the  flowers 
are  a  bright  lilac,  and  I  could  lay  my  hand  upon  it  at 
any  time,  as  I  have  never  seen  it  but  in  one  spot, 
where  it  flourishes  in  profusion.  This  is  about  four- 
teen miles  from  Newera  Ellia ;  and  I  have  never  yet 
collected  a  specimen,  as  I  have  invariably  been  out 
hunting  whenever  I  have  met  with  it. 

The  black  pepper  is  also  indigenous  throughout 
Ceylon.  At  Newera  Ellia  the  leaves  of  this  vine  are 
highly  pungent,  although  at  this  elevation  it  does  not 
produce  fruit.  A  very  short  distance  towards  a  lower 
elevation  effects  a  marked  change,  as  within  seven 
miles  it  fruits  in  great  perfection. 

At  a  similar  altitude,  the  wild  nutmeg  is  very 
common  throughout  the  forests.  This  fruit  is  a  per- 
fect anomaly.  The  tree  is  entirely  different  to  that 
of  the  cultivated  species.  The  latter  is  small,  seldom 
exceeding  the  size  of  an  apple-tree,  and  bearing  a 
light  green  myrtle-shaped  leaf,   which  is  not  larger 


tSt  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  x 

than  that  of  a  peach.  The  wild  species,  on  the  con- 
trary, is  a  large  forest  tree,  with  leaves  equal  in  size 
to  those  of  the  horse  chestnut ;  nevertheless,  it  pro- 
duces a  perfect  nutmeg.  There  is  the  outer  rind  of 
fleshy  texture,  like  an  unripe  peach  ;  enclosed  within 
is  the  nut-like  shell,  enveloped  in  the  crimson  network 
of  mace,  and  within  the  shell  is  the  nutmeg  itself. 
All  this  is  perfect  enough,  but,  alas,  the  grand  desi- 
deratum  is  wanting — it  has  no  flavour  or  aroma 
whatever. 

It  is  a  gross  imposition  on  the  part  of  Nature  ;  a 
most  stingy  trick  upon  the  public,  and  a  regular  do. 
The  mace  has  no  taste  whatever,  and  the  nutmeg  has 
simply  a  highly  aciIJ  and  pungent  taste,  without  any 
spicy  flavour,  but  merely  abounding  in  a  rank  and 
disagreeable  oil.  The  latter  is  so  plentiful,  that  I  am 
astonished  it  has  not  been  experimented  upon, 
especially  by  the  natives,  who  are  great  adepts  at 
expressing  oils  from  many  substances. 

Those  most  common  in  Ceylon  are  the  cocoa-nut 
and  gingerly  oils.  The  former  is  one  of  the  grand 
staple  commodities  of  the  island  ;  the  latter  is  the 
produce  of  a  small  grain,  grown  exclusively  by  the 
natives. 

But,  in  addition  to  these,  there  are  various  other 
oils  manufactured  by  the  Cingalese.  These  are  the 
Cinnamon,  Castor,  Margosse,  Mee,  Kenar,  Meeheeria  ; 
and  both  clove  and  lemon-grass  oil  are  prepared  by 
Eurooeans. 


CHAP.  X.  NATIVE   OILS.  257 

The  first,  which  is  the  cinnamon  oil,  is  more 
properly  a  kind  of  vegetable  wax,  being  of  the  con- 
sistence of  stearine.  This  is  prepared  from  the 
berries  of  the  cinnamon  shrub,  which  are  boiled  in 
water  until  the  fatty  substance,  or  so-called  oil,  floats 
upon  the  surface;  this  is  skimmed  off,  and,  when  a 
sufficient  quantity  is  collected,  it  is  boiled  down  until  all 
watery  particles  are  evaporated,  and  the  melted  fat 
is  turned  out  into  a  shallow  vessel  to  cool.  It  has 
a  pleasant,  though,  perhaps,  a  rather  faint  aromatic 
smell,  and  is  very  delicious  as  an  adjunct  in  the 
culinary  art.  In  addition  to  this,  it  possesses  gentle 
aperient  properties,  which  render  it  particularly 
wholesome. 

Castor  oil  is  also  obtained  by  the  natives  by 
boiling,  and  it  is  accordingly  excessively  rank  after 
long  keeping.  The  castor-oil  plant  is  a  perfect  weed 
throughout  Ceylon,  being  one  of  the  few  useful  shrubs 
that  will  flourish  in  such  poor  soil  without  cultivation. 

Margosse  oil  is  extracted  from  the  fruit  of  a  tree 
of  that  name.  It  has  an  extremely  fetid  and  dis- 
agreeable smell,  which  will  effectually  prevent  the 
contact  of  flies  or  any  other  insect.  On  this  account 
it  is  valuable  as  an  application  to  open  wounds,  in 
addition  to  which  it  possesses  powerful  healing 
properties. 

Mee  oil  is  obtained  from  the  fruit  of  the  Mee  tree. 
This   fruit   is    about  the   size  of  an  apricot,  and  is 


2s8  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

extremely  rich  in  its  produce  ;  but  the  oil  is  of  a 
coarse  description,  and  is  simply  used  by  the  natives 
for  their  rude  lamps.  Kenar  oil  and  Meeheeria  oil 
are  equally  coarse,  and  are  quite  unfit  for  any  but 
native  purposes. 

Lemon-grass  oil,  which  is  known  in  commerce  as 
citronella  oil,  is  a  delightful  extract  from  the  rank 
lemon  grass,  which  covers  most  of  the  hill  sides  in  the 
more  open  districts  of  Ceylon.  An  infusion  of  the 
grass  is  subsequently  distilled  ;  the  oil  is  then  dis- 
covered on  the  surface.  This  is  remarkably  pure, 
with  a  most  pungent  aroma.  If  rubbed  upon  the 
skin,  it  will  prevent  the  attacks  of  insects,  while  its 
perfume  remains  ;  but  the  oil  is  so  volatile,  that  the 
scent  quickly  evaporates,  and  the  spell  is  broken. 

Clove  oil  is  extracted  from  the  leaves  of  the 
cinnamon  tree,  and  not  from  cloves,  as  its  name 
would  imply.  The  process  is  very  similar  to  that 
employed  in  the  manufacture  of  citronella  oil. 

Cinnamon  is  indigenous  throughout  the  jungles  of 
Ceylon.  Even  at  the  high  elevation  of  Newera 
Ellia,  it  is  one  of  the  most  common  woods,  and  it 
grows  to  the  dimensions  of  a  forest  tree,  the  trunk 
being  usually  about  three  feet  in  circumference.  At 
Newera.  Ellia  it  loses  much  of  its  fine  flavour,  although 
it  is  still  highly  aromatic. 

This  tree  flourishes  in  a  white  quartz  sandy  soil, 
and   in   its   cultivated   state   it   is   never  allowed  to 


CHAP.  X.  CINNAMON.  259 

exceed  the  dimensions  of  a  bush,  being  pruned  down 
close  to  the  ground  every  year.  This  system  of  close 
cutting  induces  the  growth  of  a  large  number  of 
shoots,  in  the  same  manner  that  withies  are  produced 
in  England. 

Every  twelve  months  these  shoots  attain  the 
length  of  six  or  seven  feet,  and  the  thickness  of  a 
man's  finger.  In  the  interim,  the  only  cultivation 
required  is  repeated  cleaning.  The  whole  plantation 
is  cut  down  at  the  proper  period,  and  the  sticks  are 
then  stripped  of  their  bark  by  the  peelers.  These 
men  are  called  *  Chalias,'  and  their  labour  is  confined 
to  this  particular  branch.  The  Season  be;ng  over, 
they  pass  the  remaining  portion  of  the  year  in  idle- 
ness, their  earnings  during  one  crop  being  sufficient  to 
supply  their  trifling  wants  until  the  ensuing  harvest. 

Their  practice  in  this  employment  naturally 
renders  them  particularly  expert^  and  in  far  less  time 
than  is  occupied  in  the  description,  they  run  a  sharp 
knife  longitudinally  along  a  stick,  and  at  once  divest 
it  of  the  bark.  On  the  following  day,  the  strips  of 
bark  are  scraped,  so  as  entirely  to  remove  the  outer 
cuticle.  One  strip  is  then  laid  within  the  other,  which 
upon  becoming  dry,  contract,  and  form  a  series  of 
enclosed  pipes.  It  is  subsequently  packed  in  bales, 
and  carefully  sewed  up  in  double  sacks  for  exporta- 
tion. 

The    essential    oil   of  cinnamon  is  usually  made 


26o  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON,  chap.  x. 

from  the  refuse  of  the  crop  ;  but  the  quantity  pro- 
duced, in  proportion  to  the  weight  of  cinnamon,  is 
exceedingly  small,  being  about  five  ounces  of  oil  to 
half  a  hundredweight  of  the  spice. 

Although,  the  cinnamon  appears  to  require  no 
more  than  a  common  quartz  sand  for  its  production, 
it  is  always  cultivated  with  the  greatest  success, 
where  the  subsoil  is  light,  dry,  and  of  a  loamy  quality. 

The  appearance  of  the  surface  soil  is  frequently 
very  deceitful.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  see  a  forest  of 
magnificent  trees  growing  in  soil  of  apparently  pure 
sand,  which  will  not  even  produce  the  underwood 
with  which  Ceylon  forests  are  generally  choked.  In 
such  an  instance  the  appearance  of  the  trees  is 
unusually  grand,  as  their  whole  length  and  dimensions 
are  exposed  to  view,  and  their  un  iting  crowns  throw  a 
sombre  shade  over  the  barren  ground  beneath.  It  is 
not  to  be  supposed  that  these  mighty  specimens  of 
vegetation  are  supported  by  the  poor  sandy  soil  upon 
the  surface;  their  tap  roots  strike  down  into  some 
richer  stratum,  from  which  their  nourishment  is 
derived. 

These  forests  are  not  common  in  Ceylon  ;  their 
rarity  accordingly  enhances  their  beauty.  The  largest 
English  oak  would  be  a  mere  pigmy  among  the  giants 
of  these  wilds,  whose  stature  is  so  wonderful,  that  the 
eye  never  becomes  tired  of  admiration.  Often  have 
I  halted  on  my  journey  to  ride  around  and  admire  the 


CHAP.  X.  PRIMEVAL  FORESTS.  261 

prodigious  height  and  girth  of  these  trees.  Their 
beautiful  proportions  render  them  the  more  striking  ; 
there  are  no  gnarled  and  knotty  stems,  such  as  we  are 
accustomed  to  admire  in  the  ancient  oaks  and  beeches 
of  England,  but  every  trunk  rises  like  a  mast 
from  the  earth  perfectly  free  from  branches  for  ninety 
or  a  hundred  feet,  straight  as  an  arrow,  each  tree 
forming  a  dark  pillar  to  support  its  share  of  the  rich 
canopy  above,  which  constitutes  a  roof  perfectly  im- 
pervious to  the  sun.  It  is  difficult  to  guess  the  actual 
height  of  these  forest  trees  ;  but  I  have  frequently 
noticed  that  it  is  impossible  to  shoot  a  bird  on  the 
higher  branches  with  No.  5  shot. 

It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  the  want  of 
the  means  of  transport  renders  the  timber  of  these 
forests  perfectly  valueless.  From  age  to  age  these 
magnificent  trees  remain  in  their  undisturbed  so- 
litudes, gradually  increasing  in  their  apparently 
endless  growth,  and  towering  above  the  dark  vistas 
of  everlasting  silence.  No  one  can  imagine  the  utter 
stillness  which  pervades  these  gloomy  shades.  There 
is  a  mysterious  effect  produced  by  the  total  absence 
of  animal  life.  In  the  depths  of  these  forests  I  have 
stood  and  listened  for  some  sound  until  my  ears 
tingled  with  overstrained  attention  ;  not  a  chirp  of  a 
bird,  neither  the  hum  of  an  insect,  but  the  mouth  of 
Nature  is  sealed.  Not  a  breath  of  air  has  rustled  a 
leaf,  nor  even  a  falling  fruit  has  broken  the  spell  of 


l6.i  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

silence.  The  undying  verdure,  the  freshness  of  each 
tree,  even  in  its  mysterious  age,  create  an  idea  of 
eternal  vegetation,  and  the  silvery,  yet  dim  light  adds 
to  the  charm  of  the  fairy-like  solitude. 

I  had  ridden  for  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  through 
one  of  these  forests  without  hearing  a  sound,  except 
that  of  my  horse's  hoof  occasionally  striking  against 
a  root     Neither  beast  nor  bird  is  to  be  seen,  except 
upon    the   verge.     The   former    has    no    food    upon 
such    barren   ground;    and    the    latter   can    find    no 
berries,   as  the  earth   is  sunless  and  free  from  vege- 
tation.    Not  even  monkeys  are  to  be  seen,  although 
the  trees  must  produce  fruit  and  seed.     Every  thing 
appears  to  have  de^^erted  the  country,  and  to  have 
yielded  it  as  the  sole  territory  of  Nature  on  a  stu- 
pendous  scale.     The  creepers  lie  serpent-like  along 
the  ground  to  the   thickness  of  a  man's  waist,  and, 
rearing  their  twisted  forms  on  high,  they  climb  the 
loftiest  trees,  hanging  in  festoons  from  stem  to  stem 
like  the  cables  of  a  line-of-battle-ship,  and  extending 
from  tree     to    tree    for    many  hundred  yards ;    now 
falling  to  the  earth   and  striking  a  fresh   root,  then, 
with  increased  energy,  remounting  the  largest  trunks, 
and  forming  a  labyrinth  of  twisted  ropes  among  the 
ceiling  of  the  forest.     From  these  creepers  hang  the 
sabre  beans.     Every  thing  seems  on  a  supernatural 
scale ;  the  bean-pod  four  feet  or  more  in  length,  by 
three    inches    in    breadth ;    the    beans  two  inches  in 
diameter. 


CKAP.  X.  VALUABLE    WOODS,  263 

Here  may  be  seen  the  most  valuable  woods  of 
Ceylon.  The  ebony  growing  in  great  perfection  and 
large  quantity.  This  tree  is  at  once  distinguished 
from  the  surrounding  stems  by  its  smaller  diameter 
and  its  sooty  trunk.  The  bark  is  crisp,  jet  black,  and 
has  the  appearance  of  being  charred.  Beneath  the 
bark  the  wood  is  perfectly  white  until  the  heart  is 
reached,  which  is  the  fine  black  ebony  of  commerce. 
Here  also,  equally  immoveable,  the  Calamander  is 
growing,  neglected  and  unknown.  This  is  the  most 
esteemed  of  all  Ceylon  woods,  and  it  is  so  rare  that 
it  realises  a  fancy  price.  It  is  something  similar  to 
the  finest  walnut ;  the  colour  being  a  rich  hazel  brown, 
mottled  and  striped  with  irregular  black  marks.  It  is 
superior  to  walnut  in  the  extreme  closeness  of  the 
grain  and  the  richness  of  its  colour. 

There  are  upwards  of  eighty  different  woods  pro- 
duced in  Ceylon,  which  are  made  use  of  for  various 
purposes  ;  but  of  these  many  are  very  inferior.  Those 
most  appreciated  are, 

Calamander 

Ebony 


chiefly   used     for    furniture    and 
cabinet  work. 


Satinwood 

Suria  (the  tulip-tree). 

Tamarind. 

Jackwood. 

Halmileel. 

Cocoa-nut. 

Palmyra. 


264  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

The  Suria  is  an  elegant  tree,  bearing  a  beautiful 
yellow  blossom  something  similar  to  a  tulip,  from  which 
it  derives  its  name.  The  wood  is  of  an  extremely  close 
texture,  and  of  a  reddish  brown  colour.  It  is  exceed- 
ingly tough,  and  it  is  chiefly  used  for  making  the 
spokes  of  wheels. 

The  Tamarind  is  a  fine  dark  red  wood,  mottled 
with  black  marks  ;  but  is  not  in  general  use,  as  the 
tree  is  too  valuable  to  be  felled  for  the  sake  of  its 
timber.  This  is  one  of  the  handsomest  trees  of  the 
tropics,  growing  to  a  very  large  size,  the  branches 
widely  spreading,  something  like  the  cedars  of  Le- 
banon. 

Jackwood  is  a  coarse  imitation  of  mahogany,  and 
is  used  for  a  variety  of  purposes,  especially  for  making 
cheap  furniture.  The  latter  is  not  only  economical, 
but  exceedingly  durable,  and  is  manufactured  at  so 
low  a  rate,  that  a  moderate-sized  house  might  be 
entirely  furnished  with  it  for  150/. 

The  fruit  of  the  jack  grows  from  the  trunk  and 
branches  of  the  tree,  and  when  ripe  it  weighs  about 
twenty  pounds.  The  rind  is  rough,  and  when  cut  it 
exposes  a  yellow  pulpy  mass.  This  is  formed  of  an 
infinite  number  of  separate  divisions  of  fleshy  matter, 
which  severally  enclose  an  oval  nut.  The  latter  are 
very  good  when  roasted,  having  a  close  resemblance 
to  chestnuts.  The  pulp,  which  is  the  real  fruit,  is  not 
usually  eaten  by  Europeans,  on  account  of  its  peculiar 


CHAP.     .  THE  MAHAWELLI  RIVER.  265 

odour.  This  perfume  is  rather  difficult  to  describe, 
but  when  a  rainy  day  in  London  crams  a  waiting-room 
with  well-soaked  and  steaming  multitudes,  the  atmo« 
sphere  somewhat  approaches  the  smell  of  the  jack- 
fruit. 

The  Halmileel  is  one  of  the  most  durable  and 
useful  woods  in  Ceylon,  and  is  almost  the  only  kind 
that  is  thoroughly  adapted  for  making  staves  for 
casks.  Of  late  years,  the  great  increase  of  the  oil- 
trade  has  brought  this  wood  into  general  request,  con- 
sequent upon  the  increased  demand  for  barrels.  So 
extensive  and  general  is  the  present  demand  for  this 
wood,  that  the  natives  are  continually  occupied  in 
conveying  it  from  certain  districts  which  a  few  years 
ago  were  utterly  neglected.  Unfortunately  the  want 
of  roads  and  the  means  of  transport  confine  their 
operations  to  the  banks  of  rivers,  down  which  the  logs 
are  floated  at  the  proper  season. 

I  recollect  some  eight  years  ago  crossing  the 
Mahawelli  river  upon  a  raft  which  my  coolies  had 
hastily  constructed,  and  reaching  a  miserable  village 
near  Monampitya,  in  the  extreme  north  of  the  Veddah 
country.  The  river  is  here  about  four  hundred  paces 
wide,  and  in  the  rainy  season  a  fine  volume  of  water 
rolls  along  in  a  rapid  stream  towards  Trincomalie,  at 
which  place  it  meets  the  sea.  I  was  struck  at  the 
time  with  the  magnificent  timber  in  the  forests  on  its 
banks,  and   no  less   surprised   that  with  the   natural 

T  2 


266  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  x 

facilities  of  transport  it  should  be  neglected.  Two 
years  ago  I  crossed  at  this  same  spot,  and  I  remarked 
the  wonderful  change  which  a  steady  demand  had 
efifected  in  this  wild  country.  Extensive  piles  of 
halmileel  logs  were  collected  along  the  banks  of  the 
river,  while  the  forests  were  strewed  with  felled  trees, 
in  preparation  for  floating  down  the  stream.  A 
regular  demand  usually  ensures  a  corresponding 
supply,  which  could  not  be  better  exemplified  than  in 
this  case. 

Among  fancy  woods,  the  Bread-fruit  tree  should 
not  be  omitted.  This  is  something  similar  to  the 
jack,  but,  like  the  tamarind,  the  value  of  the  produce 
saves  the  tree  from  destruction. 

This  tree  does  not  attain  a  very  large  size;  but  its 
growth  is  exceedingly  regular,  and  the  foliage  pecu- 
liarly rich  and  plentiful.  The  fruit  is  something 
similar  in  appearance  to  a  small  unripe  jack-fruit, 
with  an  equally  rough  exterior.  In  the  opinion  of 
most  who  have  tasted  it,  its  virtues  have  been  grossly 
exaggerated.  To  my  taste  it  is  perfectly  uneatable, 
unless  fried  in  thin  slices  with  butter ;  it  is  even  then 
a  bad  imitation  of  fried  potatoes.  The  bark  of  this 
tree  produces  a  strong  fibre,  and  a  kind  of  very  adhe- 
sive pitch  is  also  produced  by  decoction. 

The  Cocoa-nut  and  Palmyra  woods  at  once  intro 
duce  us  to  the  palms  of  Ceylon,  the  most  useful  and 
elegant   class   in    vegetation.      For  upwards  of  120 


CHAP.  X.  VARIETY  OF  PALMS.  267 

miles  along  the  western  and  southern  coasts  of  Cey- 
lon one  continuous  line  of  cocoa-nut  groves  wave 
their  green  leaves  to  the  sea  breeze,  without  a  single 
break,  except  where  some  broad,  clear  river  cleaves 
the  line  of  verdure  as  it  meets  the  sea. 

Ceylon  is  rich  in  palms,  including  the  following 

varieties : — 

The  Cocoa-nut. 

The  Palmyra. 

The  Kittool. 

The  Areca. 

The  Date. 

The  Sago. 

The  Talipot. 

The  wonderful  productions  of  this  tribe  can  only 
be  appreciated  by  those  who  thoroughly  understand 
the  habits  and  necessities  of  the  natives ;  and  upon 
examination  it  will  be  seen  that  Nature  has  opened 
wide  her  bountiful  hand,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  barren 
soil  she  has  still  remembered  and  supplied  the  wants 
of  the  inhabitants. 

As  the  stream  issued  from  the  rock  in  the  wilder- 
ness, so  the  cocoa-nut  tree  yields  a  pure  draught 
from  a  dry  and  barren  land  ;  a  cup  of  water  to  the 
temperate  and  thirsty  traveller ;  cream  from  the 
pressed  kernel  ;  refreshing  and  sparkling  toddy  to  the 
early  riser ;  arrack  to  the  hardened  spirit-drinker;  and 
a  cup  of  oil,  by  the  light  of  which  I  now  extol  its 


268  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

merits, — five  separate  and  distinct  liquids  from  the 
same  tree  ! 

A  green  or  unripe  cocoa-nut  contains  about  a 
pint  of  sweetish  water.  In  the  hottest  weather  this 
is  dehciously  cool,  in  comparison  to  the  heat  of  the 
atmosphere. 

The  ripe  nut,  when  scraped  into  a  pulp  by  a  little 
serrated  semi-circular  iron  instrument,  is  squeezed  in 
a  cloth  by  the  hand,  and  about  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of 
delicious,  thick  cream,  highly  flavoured  by  cocoa- 
nut,  is  then  expressed.  This  forms  the  chief  ingre- 
dient in  a  Cingalese  curry,  from  which  it  entirely 
derives  its  richness  and  fine  flavour. 

The  toddy  is  the  sap,  which  would  nourish  and 
fructify  the  blossom  and  young  nuts,  were  it  allowed 
to  accomplish  its  duties.  The  toddy-drawer  binds 
into  one  rod  the  numerous  shoots,  which  are  gar- 
nished with  embryo  nuts,  and  he  then  cuts  off*  the 
ends,  leaving  an  abrupt  and  brush-like  termination. 
Beneath  this  he  secures  an  earthen  chatty,  which  will 
hold  about  a  gallon.  This  remains  undisturbed  for 
twenty-four  hours,  until  sunrise  on  the  following 
morning ;  the  toddy-drawer  then  reascends  the  tree, 
and  lowers  the  chatty  by  a  line  to  an  assistant  below, 
who  empties  the  contents  into  a  larger  vessel,  and  the 
chatty  is  replaced  under  the  productive  branch,  which 
continues  to  yield  for  about  a  month. 

When  first  drawn,  the  toddy  has  the  appearance 


CHAP.  X.  ARRACK.  269 

of  thin  milk-and-water,  with  a  combined  flavour  of 
milk  and  soda-water,  with  a  tinge  of  cocoa-nut.  It  is 
then  very  pleasant  and  refreshing,  but  in  a  few  hours 
after  sunrise  a  great  change  takes  place,  and  the 
rapidity  of  the  transition  from  the  vinous  to  the 
acetous  fermentation  is  so  great  that  by  midday  it 
resembles  a  poor  and  rather  acid  cider.  It  now  pos- 
sesses intoxicating  properties,  and  the  natives  accord- 
ingly indulge  in  it  to  some  extent ;  but  from  its 
flavour  and  decided  acidity,  I  should  have  thought 
the  stomach  would  be  affected  some  time  before  the 
head. 

From  this  fermented  toddy  the  arrack  is  procured 
by  simple  distillation. 

This  spirit  to  my  taste  is  more  palatable  than 
most  distilled  liquors,  having  a  very  decided  and 
peculiar  flavour.  It  is  a  little  fiery  when  new,  but  as 
water  soon  quenches  fire,  it  is  not  spared  by  the 
native  retailers,  whose  arrack  would  be  of  a  most 
innocent  character  were  it  not  for  their  infamous 
addition  of  stupifying  drugs  and  hot  peppers. 

The  toddy  contains  a  large  proportion  of  saccha- 
rine, without  which  the  vinous  fermentation  could  not 
take  place.  This  is  procured  by  evaporation  in  boil- 
ing, on  the  same  principle  that  sugar  is  produced 
from  cane-juice.  The  syrup  is  then  poured  into  small 
saucers  to  cool,  and  it  shortly  assumes  the  consist- 
ence of  hardened  sugar.     This  is  known  in  Ceylon  as 


270  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

'jaggery,'  and  is  manufactured  exclusively  by  the 
natives. 

Cocoa-nut  oil  is  now  one  of  the  greatest  exports 
of  Ceylon,  and  within  the  last  few  years  the  trade  has 
increased  to  an  unprecedented  extent.  In  the  two 
years  of  1849  ^^id  1850,  the  exports  of  cocoa-nut  oil 
did  not  exceed  443,600  gallons,  while  in  the  year 
1853,  they  had  increased  to  1,033,900  gallons,  the 
trade  being  moi-e  than  quadrupled  in  three  years. 

The  manufacture  of  the  oil  is  most  simple.  The 
kernel  is  taken  from  the  nut,  and,  being  divided,  it  is 
exposed  to  the  sun,  until  all  the  watery  particles  are 
evaporated.  The  kernel  thus  dried  is  known  as 
*  Copperah.'  This  is  then  pressed  in  a  mill,  and  the 
oil  flov/s  into  a  reservoir. 

This  oil,  although  clear  and  limpid  in  the  tropics, 
hardens  to  the  consistence  of  lard  at  any  temperature 
below  72°  Fahr.  Thus  it  requires  a  second  prepara- 
tion on  its  arrival  in  England.  There  it  is  spread 
upon  mats  (formed  of  coir)  to  the  thickness  of  an 
inch,  and  then  covered  by  a  similar  protection.  These 
fat  sandwiches  are  two  feet  square,  and  being  piled  one 
upon  the  other  to  a  height  of  about  six  feet  in  an 
hydraulic  press,  are  subjected  to  a  pressure  of  some 
hundred  tons.  This  disengages  the  pure  oleaginous 
parts  from  the  more  insoluble  portions,  and  the  fat 
residue,  being  increased  in  hardness  by  its  extra 
density,  is  mixed  with  stearine,  and  by  a  variety  of 


CHAP.  X.  COCOA-NUT  OIL.  rj\ 

preparations  is  converted  into  candles.  The  pure  oil 
thus  expressed,  is  that  known  in  the  shops  as  cocoa- 
nut  oil. 

The  cultivation  of  the  cocoa-nut  tree  is  now  car- 
ried to  a  great  extent  both  by  natives  and  Europeans; 
by  the  former  it  is  grown  for  a  variety  of  purposes, 
but  by  the  latter  its  profits  are  confined  to  oil,  coir, 
and  poonac.  The  latter  is  the  refuse  of  the  nut  after 
the  oil  has  been  expressed,  and  corresponds  in  its 
uses  to  the  linseed  oil  cake  of  England,  being  chiefly 
employed  for  fattening  cattle,  pigs,  and  poultry. 

The  preparation  of  coir  is  a  dirty  and  offensive 
occupation.  The  husk  of  the  cocoa-nut  is  thrown 
into  tanks  of  water,  until  the  woody  or  pithy  matter 
is  loosened  by  fermentation  from  the  coir  fibre.  The 
stench  of  putrid  vegetable  matter  arising  from  these 
heaps  must  be  highly  deleterious.  Subsequently  the 
husks  are  beaten,  and  the  fibre  is  separated  and  dried. 
Coir  rope  is  useful  on  account  of  its  durability  and 
power  of  resisting  decay  during  long  immersion.  In 
the  year  1853,  2,380  tons  of  coir  were  exported 
from  Ceylon. 

The  great  drawback  to  the  commencement  of  a 
cocoa-nut  plantation  is  the  total  uncertainty  in  the 
price  of  oil  during  the  interval  of  eleven  years  which 
must  elapse  before  the  estate  comes  into  bearing.  In 
this  era  of  invention,  when  improvements  in  every 
branch  of  science  follow  each  other  with  such  rapid 


272  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

Strides,  it  is  a  dangerous  speculation  to.  make  any  out- 
lay that  will  remain  so  long  invested  without  producing 
a  return.  Who  can  be  so  presumptuous  as  to  predict 
the  changes  of  future  years  ?  Oil  may  have  ceased  to 
be  the  common  medium  of  light ;  our  rooms  may  be 
illuminated  by  electricity,  or  from  fifty  other  sources, 
which  now  are  never  dreamed  of  In  the  mean  time, 
the  annual  outlay  during  eleven  years  is  an  additional 
incubus  upon  the  prime  cost  of  the  plantation,  which 
at  the  expiration  of  this  term  may  be  reduced  to  one- 
tenth  of  its  present  value. 

The  cocoa-nut  tree  requires  a  sandy  and  well- 
drained  soil ;  and  although  it  flourishes  where  no  other 
tree  will  grow,  it  welcomes  a  soil  of  a  richer  quality, 
and  produces  fruit  in  proportion.  Eighty  nuts  per 
annum  are  about  the  average  income  from  a  healthy 
tree  in  full  bearing  ;  but  this,  of  course,  depends  much 
upon  the  locality.  This  palm  delights  in  the  sea- 
breeze,  and  never  attains  the  same  perfection  mland 
that  it  does  in  the  vicinity  of  the  coast.  There  are 
several  varieties,  and  that  which  is  considered  superior 
is  the  yellow  species,  called  the  *  King  Cocoa-nut'  1 
have  seen  this  on  the  Maldive  Islands  in  great  per- 
fection.    There  it  is  the  prevailing  description. 

At  the  Seychelles  there  is  a  variety  peculiar  to 
those  islands,  differing  entirely  in  appearance  from 
the  common  cocoa-nut.  It  is  fully  twice  the  size,  and 
is  shaped   like  a  kidney  that  is   laid   open.     This  is 


CHAP.  X.  THE  KITTOOL  PALM.  273 

called  by  the  French  the  *  Coco  de  mer^  from  the  large 
numbers  that  are  found  floating  in  the  sea  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  islands. 

The  wood  of  the  cocoa-nut  tree  is  strong  and 
durable ;  it  is  a  dark  brown,  traversed  by  longitudinal 
black  lines. 

There  are  three  varieties  of  toddy-producing  palms 
in  Ceylon  ;  these  are  the  cocoa-nut,  the  kittool,  and 
the  palmyra.  The  latter  produces  the  finest  quality 
of  jaggery.  This  cannot  be  easily  distinguished  from 
crumbled  sugar-candy,  which  it  exactly  resembles  in 
flavour.  The  wooc^  of  the  palmyra  is  something 
similar  to  the  cocoa-nut,  but  it  is  of  a  superior  quality, 
and  is  much  used  for  rafters,  being  durable  and  of  im- 
mense strength. 

The  kittool  is  a  very  sombre  and  peculiar  palm. 
Its  crest  very  much  resembles  the  drooping  plume 
upon  a  hearse,  and  the  foliage  is  a  dark  green,  with  a 
tinge  of  grey.  The  wood  of  this  palm  is  almost  black, 
being  apparently  a  mass  of  longitudinal  strips,  or 
coarse  lines  of  whalebone  running  close  together  from 
the  top  to  the  root  of  the  tree.  This  is  the  toughest 
and  most  pliable  of  all  the  palm  woods,  and  is  princi- 
pally used  by  the  natives  in  making  *  pingos  : '  these 
are  flat  bows  about  eight  feet  in  length,  and  are  used 
by  the  Cingalese  for  carrying  loads  upon  the  shoulder. 
The  weight  is  slung  at  either  end  of  the  pingo,  and 
the  elasticity  of  the  woodaccommodates  itself  to  the 


274  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

spring  of  each  step,  thereby  reducing  the  dead  weight 
of  the  load.  In  this  manner  a  stout  Cingalese  will 
carry  and  travel  with  eighty  pounds,  if  working  on  his 
own  account,  or  with  fifty  if  hired  for  a  journey.  A 
Cingalese  will  carry  a  much  heavier  weight  than  an 
ordinary  Malabar,  as  he  is  a  totally  different  man  in 
form  and  strength.  In  fact,  the  Cingalese  are  gene- 
rally a  compactly  built  and  well- limbed  race,  while  the 
Malabar  is  a  man  averaging  full  a  stone  lighter 
weight. 

The  most  extraordinary  in  the  list  of  palms  is  the 
Talipot.  The  crest  of  this  beautiful  tree  is  adorned  by 
a  crown  of  nearly  circular  fan-shaped  leaves,  of  so 
tough  and  durable  a  texture,  that  they  are  sewn 
together  by  the  natives  for  erecting  portable  tents  or 
huts.  The  circumference  of  each  leaf  at  the  extreme 
^6.%^  is  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet,  and  even  this  latter 
size  is  said  to  be  frequently  exceeded.. 

Every  Cingalese  throughout  the  Kandian  district 
is  provided  with  a  section  of  one  of  these  leaves  which 
forms  a  kind  of  fan  about  six  feet  in  length.  This  is 
carried  in  the  hand,  and  is  only  spread  in  case  of  rain, 
when  it  forms  an  impervious  roofing  of  about  three 
feet  in  width  at  the  broad  extremity.  Four  or  five  of 
these  sections  will  form  a  circular  roof  for  a  small  hut 
which  resembles  a  large  umbrella,  or  Brobdingnag 
mushroom. 

There  is  a  great  peculiarity  in  the  talipot  palm. 


CHAP.  X.  THE   TALIPOT  PALM.  275 

It  blossoms  only  once  in  a  long  period  of  years,  and 
after  this  it  dies.  No  flower  can  equal  the  elegance 
and  extraordinary  dimensions  of  this  blossom ;  its 
size  is  proportionate  to  its  leaves,  and  it  usurps  the 
place  of  the  faded  crest  of  green,  forming  a  magnificent 
crown  or  plume  of  snow-white  ostrich  feathers,  which 
stand  upon  the  summit  of  the  tall  stem,  as  though  they 
were  the  natural  head  of  the  palm. 

There  is  an  interesting  phenomenon  at  the  period 
of  flowering.  The  great  plume  already  described, 
prior  to  its  appearing  in  bloom,  is  packed  in  a  large 
case  or  bud,  about  four  feet  long.  In  this  case,  the 
blossom  comes  to  maturity,  at  which  time  the  tightened 
cuticle  of  the  bud  can  no  longer  sustain  the  pressure 
of  the  expanding  flower.  It  suddenly  bursts  with  a 
loud  report,  and  the  beautiful  plume,  freed  from  its 
imprisonment,  ascends  at  this  signal  and  rapidly  un- 
folds its  feathers,  towering  above  the  drooping  leaves 
which  are  hastening  to  decay. 

The  Areca  is  a  palm  of  great  elegance  ;  it  rises  to 
a  height  of  about  eighty  feet,  and  a  rich  feathery  crest 
adorns  the  summit.  This  is  the  most  delicate  stem 
of  all  the  palm  tribe  ;  that  of  a  tree  of  eighty  feet  in 
length  would  not  exceed  five  inches  in  diameter. 
Nevertheless,  I  have  never  seen  an  areca  palm  over- 
turned by  a  storm  ;  they  bow  gracefully  to  the  wind, 
and  the  extreme  elasticity  of  the  wood  secures  them 
from  destruction. 


276  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

This  tree  produces  the  commonly  called  *  betel 
nut/  but  more  properly,  the  areca  nut.  They  grow  in 
clusters  beneath  the  crest  of  the  palm,  in  a  similar 
manner  to  the  cocoa-nut,  but  the  tree  is  more  prolific, 
as  it  produces  about  200  nuts  per  annum.  The  latter 
are  very  similar  to  large  nutmegs  both  in  size  and  ap- 
pearance, and,  like  the  cocoa-nut,  they  are  enclosed  in 
an  outer  husk  of  a  fibrous  texture. 

The  consumption  may  be  imagined,  when  it  is 
explained  that  every  native  is  perpetually  chewing  a 
mixture  of  this  nut  and  betel  leaf.  Every  man  carries 
a  betel  bag,  which  contains  the  following  list  of 
treasures :  A  quantity  of  areca  nuts,  a  parcel  of  betel 
leaves,  a  roll  of  tobacco,  a  few  pieces  of  ginger,  an 
instrument  similar  to  pruning  scissors,  and  a  brass  or 
silver  case  (according  to  the  wealth  of  the  individual), 
full  of  chunam  paste,— viz.,  a  fine  lime  produced  from 
burnt  coral,  slacked.  This  case  very  much  resembles 
an  old-fashioned  warming-pan  breed  of  watch  and 
chateleine,  as  numerous  little  spoons  for  scooping  out 
the  chunam  are  attached  to  it  by  chains. 

The  betel  is  a  species  of  pepper,  the  leaf  of  which 
very  much  resembles  that  of  the  black  pepper,  but  is 
highly  aromatic  and  pungent.  It  is  cultivated  to  a 
very  large  extent  by  the  natives,  and  may  be  seen 
climbing  round  poles  and  trees  in  every  garden. 

It  has  been  said  by  some  authors  that  the  betel 
has  powerful  narcotic  properties  ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 


CHAP.  X.  BETEL   CHEWING,  2TJ 

its  stimulating  qualities  have  a  directly  opposite  effect. 
Those  who  have  attributed  this  supposed  property 
to  the  betel  leaf  must  have  indulged  in  a  regular 
native  'chew'  as  an  experiment,  and  have  nevertheless 
been  ignorant  of  the  mixture. 

We  will  make  up  a  native  *  chew  *  after  the  most 
approved  fashion,  and  the  reader  shall  judge  for 
himself  in  which  ingredient  the  narcotic  principle  is 
displayed. 

Take  a  betel  leaf,  and  upon  this  spread  a  piece  of 
chunam,*  as  large  as  a  pea  ;  then  with  the  pruning 
scissors  cut  three  very  thin  slices  of  areca  nut,  and 
lay  them  in  the  leaf;  next,  add  a  small  piece  of 
ginger  ;  and,  lastly,  a  good-sized  piece  of  tobacco. 
Fold  up  this  mixture  in  another  betel  leaf  in  a  com- 
pact little  parcel,  and  it  is  fit  for  promoting  several 
hours'  enjoyment  in  chewing,  and  spitting  a  disgusting 
blood-red  dye  in  every  direction.  The  latter  is  pro- 
duced by  the  areca  nut.  It  is  the  tobacco  which 
possesses  the  narcotic  principle  ;  if  this  is  omitted,  the 
remaining  ingredients  are  simple  stimulants. 

The  teeth  of  all  natives  are  highly  discoloured  by 
the  perpetual  indulgence  in  this  disgusting  habit :  nor 
is  this  the  only  effect  produced  ;  cancer  in  the  cheek 
is  a  common  complaint  among  them,  supposed  to  be 
produced  by  the  caustic  lime  which  is  so  continually 
in  the  mouth. 

'  Lime  made  from  burnt  coral 


278  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  x 

The  exports  of  areca  nuts  from  Ceylon  will  give 
some  idea  of  the  supply  of  palms.  In  1853  no  less 
than  3,ocX)  tons  were  shipped  from  this  colony,  valued 
at  about  45,000/.  The  greater  portion  is  consumed 
in  India. 

Two  varieties  of  palms  remain  to  be  described, — 
the  Date,  and  the  Sago. 

The  former  is  a  miserable  species,  which  does  not 
exceed  the  height  of  three  to  five  feet,  and  the  fruit 
is  perfectly  worthless. 

The  latter  is  indigenous  throughout  the  jungles 
in  Ceylon,  but  it  is  neither  cultivated,  nor  is  the  sago 
prepared  from  it. 

The  height  of  th'>  palm  does  not  exceed  fifteen 
or  twenty  feet,  and  even  this  is  above  the  general 
average.  It  grows  in  the  greatest  profusion  in  the 
Veddah  country.  The  stem  is  rough,  and  a  continua- 
tion of  rings  divides  it  into  irregular  sections.  The 
leaves  are  a  rich  dark  green,  and  very  light  and 
feathery,  beneath  which,  the  nuts  grow  in  clusters 
similar  to  those  of  the  areca  palm. 

The  only  use  that  the  natives  make  of  the  produce 
of  this  tree  is  the  preparation  of  flour  from  the  nuts. 
Even  this  is  not  very  general,  which  is  much  to  be 
wondered  at,  as  the  farina  is  far  superior  in  flavour 
to  tnat  produced  from  most  grains. 

The  natives  ascribe  intoxicating  properties  to  the 
cakes  made   from   this   flour  ;   but   I   have   certainly 


CHAP.  X.  SAGO  NUTS.  279 

eaten  a  fair  allowance  at  one  time,  and  I  cannot  say 
that  I  had  the  least  sensation  of  elevation. 

The  nut,  which  is  something  similar  to  the  areca 
in  size,  is  nearly  white  when  divested  of  its  outer 
husk  ;  this  is  soaked  for  about  twenty-four  houis  m 
water.  A  slight  fermentation  takes  place,  and  the 
gas  generated,  splits  the  nut  open  at  a  closed  joint 
like  an  acorn.  This  fermentation  may,  perhaps,  take 
some  exhilarating  effect  upon  the  natives'  weak  heads. 

The  nuts,  partially  softened  by  this  immersion, 
are  dried  in  the  sun,  and  subsequently  pounded  into 
flour  in  a  wooden  mortar.  This  flour  is  sifted,  and 
the  coarser  parts  being  separated,  are  again  pounded, 
until  a  beautiful  snow-white  farina  is  produced.  This 
is  made  into  a  dough  by  a  proper  admixture  with 
water,  and  being  formed  into  small  cakes,  they  are 
baked  for  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  a  chatty. 
The  fermentation,  which  has  already  taken  place  in 
the  nut,  has  impregnated  the  flour  with  a  leaven  ;  this, 
without  any  further  addition,  expands  the  dough  when 
in  the  oven,  and  the  cake  produced  is  very  similar  to 
a  crumpet,  both  in  appearance  and  flavour. 

The  village  in  which  I  first  tasted  this  preparation 
of  the  sago  nut  was  a  tolerable  sample  of  such  places, 
on  the  borders  of  the  Veddah  country.  The  popula- 
tion consisted  of  one  old  man,  and  a  corresponding 
old  woman,  and  one  fine  stout  young  man,  and  five 
young  women.     A  host  of  little  children,  who  were  so 

U 


28o  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

similar  in  height  that  they  must  have  been  one  litter, 
and  three  or  four  most  miserable  dogs  and  cats,  were 
additional  tenants  of  the  village. 

These  people  lived  upon  sago  cakes,  pumpkins, 
wild  fruits,  and  berries,  river  fish,  and  wild  honey. 
The  latter  is  very  plentiful  throughout  Ceylon,  and 
the  natives  are  very  expert  in  finding  out  the  nests, 
by  watching  the  bees  in  their  flight,  and  following 
them  up.  A  bee-hunter  must  be  a  most  keen-sighted 
fellow,  although  there  is  not  so  much  difficulty  in  the 
pursuit  as  may  at  first  appear.  No  one  can  mistake 
the  flight  of  a  bee  en  route  home,  if  he  has  once 
observed  him.  He  is  no  longer  wandering  from 
flower  to  flower,  in  an  uncertain  course,  but  he  rushes 
through  the  air  in  a  straight  line  for  the  nest.  If  the 
bee-hunter  sees  one  bee  thus  speeding  homewards,  he 
watches  the  vacant  spot  in  the  air,  until  assured  of 
the  direction  by  the  successive  appearance  of  these 
insects,  one  following  the  other  nearly  every  second  in 
their  hurried  race  to  the  comb.  Keeping  his  eye  upon 
the  passing  bees,  he  follows  them,  until  he  reaches  the 
tree  in  which  the  nest  is  found. 

There  are  five  varieties  of  bees  in  Ceylon  ;  these 
are  all  honey-makers,  except  the  carpenter  bee.  This 
species  is  entirely  unlike  a  bee  in  all  its  habits.  It  is 
a  bright  tinsel-green  colour,  and  the  size  of  a  large 
walnut,  but  shaped  like  the  humble  bees  of  England. 
The  mouth   is  armed  with  a  very  powerful  pair  of 


CHAP  X.  VARIETY  OF  BEES.  281 

mandibles,  and  the  tail  with  a  sting  even  larger  and 
more  venomous  than  that  of  the  hornet.  These 
carpenter  bees  are  exceedingly  destructive,  as  they 
bore  holes  in  beams  and  posts,  in  which  they  lay  their 
eggs,  the  larvae  of  which,  when  hatched,  feed  upon  the 
timber. 

The  honey  bees  are  of  four  very  distinct  varieties, 
each  of  which  forms  its  nest  on  a  different  principle. 
The  largest  and  most  extensive  honey-maker  is  the 
*  Bambera.'  This  is  nearly  as  large  as  a  hornet,  and 
it  forms  its  nest  upon  the  bough  of  a  tree,  from  which 
the  comb  hangs  like  a  Cheshire  cheese,  being  about 
the  same  thickness,  but  five  or  six  inches  greater  in 
diameter.  The  honey  of  this  bee  is  not  so  much 
esteemed  as  that  from  the  smaller  varieties,  as  the 
flavour  partakes  too  strongly  of  the  particular  flower 
which  the  bee  has  frequented  ;  thus  in  different 
seasons  the  honey  varies  in  flavour,  and  is  sometimes 
so  highly  aperient  that  it  must  be  used  with  much 
caution.  This  property  is,  of  course,  derived  from  the 
flower  which  the  bee  prefers  at  that  particular  season. 
The  wax  of  the  comb  is  the  purest  and  whitest  of  any 
kind  produced  in  Ceylon.  So  partial  are  these  bees 
to  particular  blossoms,  that  they  migrate  from  place 
to  place  at  different  periods,  in  quest  of  flowers 
which  are  then  in  bloom. 

This  is  a  very  wonderful  and  inexplicable  arrange- 
ment of  Nature,  when  it  is  considered  that  some 
u  2 


282  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

flowers,  v/hich  particularly  attract  these  migrations, 
only  blossom  once  in  * seve7i  years'  This  is  the  case 
at  Newera  EUia,  where  the  nillho  induces  such  a 
general  rush  of  this  particular  bee  to  the  district,  that 
the  jungles  are  swarming  with  them  in  every  direc- 
tion, although  during  the  six  preceding  years  hardly 
a  bee  of  the  kind  is  to  be  met  with. 

There  are  many  varieties  of  the  nillho.  These  vary 
from  a  tender  dwarf  plant  to  the  tall  and  heavy  stem 
of  the  common  nillho,  which  is  nearly  as  thick  as  a 
man's  arm,  and  about  twenty  feet  high. 

The  next  honey-maker  is  very  similar  in  size  and 
appearance  to  our  hive-bee  in  England.  This  variety 
forms  its  nest  in  hollow  trees,  and  in  holes  in  rocks. 
Another  bee,  similar  in  appearance,  but  not  more  than 
half  the  size,  suspends  a  most  delicate  comb  to  the 
twigs  of  a  tree.  This  nest  is  no  larger  than  an  orange, 
but  the  honey  of  the  two  latter  varieties  is  of  the 
finest  quality,  and  quite  equal  in  flavour  to  the  famed 
*  Miel  vert '  of  the  Isle  de  Bourbon,  although  it  has 
not  the  delicate  green  tint  which  is  so  much  esteemed 
in  the  latter. 

The  last  of  the  Ceylon  bees  is  the  most  tiny, 
although  an  equally  industrious  workman.  He  is  a 
little  smaller  than  our  common  house-fly,  and  he 
builds  his  diminutive  nest  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree, 
where  the  entrance  to  his  mansion  is  a  hole  no  larger 
than  would  be  made  by  a  lady's  .stiletto. 


CHAP.  X.  WASTE   OF  BEES' -WAX.  283 

It  would  be  a  natural  supposition,  that  so  delicate 
an  insect  would  produce  a  honey  of  corresponding 
purity,  but  instead  of  the  expected  treasure,  we  find  a 
thick,  black,  and  rather  pungent,  but  highly  aromatic, 
molasses.  The  natives,  having  naturally  coarse  tastes 
and  strong  stomachs,  admire  this  honey  beyond  any 
other.  Many  persons  are  surprised  at  the  trifling  ex- 
ports of  wax  from  Ceylon.  In  1853,  these  amounted 
to  no  more  than  one  ton. 

Cingalese  are  curious  people,  and  do  not  trouble 
themselves  about  exports  ;  they  waste  or  consume  all 
the  bees'-wax.  While  we  are  contented  with  the 
honey,  and  carefully  reject  the  comb,  the  native  (in 
some  districts)  crams  his  mouth  with  a  large  section, 
and  giving  it  one  or  two  bites,  he  bolts  the  luscious 
morsel  and  begins  another.  In  this  manner  immense 
quantities  of  this  valuable  article  are  annually  wasted. 
Some  few  of  the  natives  in  the  poorest  villages  save  a 
small  quantity,  to  exchange  with  the  travelling  Moor- 
men for  cotton  cloths,  &c.,  and  in  this  manner  the 
trifling  amount  exported  is  collected. 

During  the  honey  year  at  Newera  Ellia,  I  gave  a 
native  permission  to  hunt  bees  in  my  forests,  on  con- 
dition that  he  should  bring  me  the  wax.  Of  course  he 
stole  the  greater  portion,  but,  nevertheless,  in  a  few 
weeks,  he  brought  me  seventy-two  pounds'  weight  of 
well- cleaned  and  perfectly  white  wax,  which  he  had 
made  up  into  balls,   about  the  size  of  an  eighteen- 


7«4  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

pound  shot.  Thus  in  so  short  a  time,  one  man  had 
collected  about  the  thirtieth  part  of  the  annual  export 
from  Ceylon  ;  or,  allowing  that  he  stole  at  least  one 
half,  this  would  amount  to  the  fifteenth. 

It  would  be  a  vain  attempt  to  restrain  these  people 
from  their  fixed  habit ;  they  would  as  soon  think  of 
refraining  from  betel-chewing  as  giving  up  a  favourite 
food.  Neither  will  they  be  easily  persuaded  to  indulge 
in  a  food  of  a  new  description.  I  once  showed  them 
the  common  British  mushroom,  which  they  declared 
was  a  poisonous  kind.*  To  prove  the  contrary,  I  had 
them  several  times  at  table,  and  found  them  precisely 
similar  in  appearance  and  flavour  to  the  well-known 
'  Agaricus  campestris ;  *  but,  notwithstanding  this 
actual  proof,  the  natives  would  not  be  convinced,  and, 
although  accustomed  to  eat  a  variety  of  this  tribe, 
they  positively  declined  this  experiment.  There  is  an 
edible  species  which  they  prefer,  which,  from  its  ap- 
pearance, an  Englishman  would  shun  :  this  is  perfectly 
white,  both  above  and  below,  and  the  upper  cuticle 
cannot  be  peeled  off.  I  have  tasted  this,  but  it  is  very 
inferior  in  flavour  to  the  common  mushroom. 

Experiments  in  these  varieties  of  fungi  are  highly 
dangerous,  as  many  of  the  most  poisonous  so  closely 
resemble  the  edible  species  that  they  can  with  diffi- 
culty be  distinguished.     There  is  one  kind  of  fungus 

'  English  people  are  quite  as  obstinate  in  neglecting  esculent  fungi, 
which  are  accordingly  wasted. 


CHAP.  X.  FUNGI.  485 

that  I  have  met  with  in  the  forests  which,  from  its 
offensive  odour  and  disgusting  appearance,  should  be 
something  superlatively  bad.  It  grows  about  four 
inches  high  ;  the  top  is  round,  with  a  fleshy  and  in- 
flamed appearance  ;  the  stalk  is  out  of  all  proportion 
in  its  thickness,  being  about  two  inches  in  diameter 
and  of  a  livid  white  colour ;  this,  when  broken,  is  full 
of  a  transparent  gelatinous  fluid,  which  smells  like  an 
^^^  in  the  last  stage  of  rottenness. 

This  fungus  looks  like  an  unhealthy  excrescence 
on  the  face  of  Nature,  who,  as  though  ashamed  of  the 
disgusting  blemish,  has  thrown  a  veil  over  the  defect. 
The  most  exquisite  fabric  that  can  be  imagined — a 
scarlet  veil,  like  a  silken  net — falls  over  this  ugly 
fungus,  and,  spreading  like  a  tent  at  its  base,  it  is 
there  attached  to  the  ground. 

The  meshes  of  this  net  are  about  as  fine  as  those 
of  a  very  delicate  silk  purse,  and  the  gaudiness  of  the 
colour  and  the  size  of  the  fungus  make  it  a  very  pro- 
minent object  among  the  surrounding  vegetation.  In 
fact,  it  is  a  diminutive,  though  perfect  circular  tent  of 
net-work,  the  stem  of  the  fungus  forming  the  pole  in 
the  centre. 

I  shall  never  forget  my  first  introduction  to  this 
specimen.  It  was  growing  in  an  open  forest,  free 
from  any  underwood,  and  it  seemed  like  a  fairy 
bivouac  beneath  the  mighty  trees  which  oversha- 
dowed   it.      Hardly  believing   my   own    eyes   at  so 


286  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  X. 

Strange  and  exquisite  a  structure,  I  jumped  off  my 
horse  and  hastened  to  secure  it.  But  the  net- work 
once  raised  was  Hke  the  uncovering  of  the  veiled 
prophet  of  Khorassan,  and  the  stem,  crushing  in  my 
fingers,  revealed  all  the  disgusting  properties  of  the 
plant,  and  proved  the  impossibility  of  removing  it 
entire.  The  elegance  of  its  exterior  only  served  to 
conceal  its  character. 

There  are  two  varieties  of  narcotic  fungi  whose 
properties  are  so  mild  that  they  are  edible  in  small 
quantities.  One  is  a  bright  crimson  on  the  surface. 
This  is  the  most  powerful,  and  is  seldom  used.  The 
other  is  a  white  solid  puff-ball,  with  a  rough  outer 
skin  or  rind. 

I  have  eaten  the  latter  pn  two  occasions,  having 
been  assured  by  the  natives  that  they  were  harmless. 
The  flavour  somewhat  resembles  a  truffle,  but  I  could 
not  account  for  the  extreme  drowsiness  that  I  felt 
soon  after  eating.  This  wore  off  in  the  course  of  two 
or  three  hours.  On  the  following  day  I  felt  the  same 
effect,  but  to  a  still  greater  degree,  as,  having  con- 
vinced myself  that  they  were  really  eatable,  I  had 
taken  a  larger  quantity.  Knowing  that  the  narcotic 
principle  is  the  common  property  of  a  great  variety 
of  fungi,  it  immediately  struck  me  that  the  puff-balls 
were  the  cause.  On  questioning  the  natives,  it  ap- 
peared that  it  was  this  principle  that  they  admired, 
as  it  produced  a  species  of  mild  intoxication. 


CHAf.  X.  INTOXICATING  DRUGS.  287 

All  people,  of  whatever  class  or  clime,  indulge  in 
some  narcotic  drug  or  drink.  Those  of  the  Cingalese 
are  arrack,  tobacco,  fungi,  and  the  Indian  hemp. 
The  use  of  the  latter  is,  however,  not  so  general 
among  the  Cingalese  as  the  Malabars.  This  drug 
has  a  different  effect  from  opium,  as  it  does  not 
injure  the  constitution,  but  simply  exhilarates,  and 
afterwards  causes  a  temporary  lethargy. 

In  appearance  it  very  nearly  resembles  the  com- 
mon hemp.  The  leaves  and  blossom  are  dried,  and 
are  either  smoked  like  tobacco,  or  formed  into  a  paste 
with  various  substances  and  chewed. 

When  the  plant  approaches  maturity,  a  gummy 
substance  exudes  from  the  leaves ;  this  is  gathered 
by  men  clothed  in  dry  raw  hides,  who,  by  walking 
through  the  plantation,  become  covered  with  this 
gum  or  glue.  This  is  scraped  off  and  carefully  pre- 
served, being  the  very  essence  of  the  plant,  and  ex- 
ceedingly powerful  in  its  effects. 

The  sensation  produced  by  the  properties  of  this 
shrub  is  a  wild  dreamy  kind  of  happiness  ;  the  ideas 
are  stimulated  to  a  high  degree,  and  all  that  are  most 
pleasurable  are  exaggerated,  till  the  senses  at  length 
sink  into  a  vague  and  delightful  Elysium. 

The  reaction  after  this  unnatural  excitement  is  a 
temporary  depression,  but  the  sufferer  is  set  all  right 
again  by  some  trifling  stimulant,  such  as  a  glass  of 
wine  or  spirits. 


-j88  eight  years  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

It  is  supposed,  and  confidently  asserted,  by  some 
that  the  Indian  hemp  is  the  foundation  of  the  Egyp- 
tian *  hashisch,'  the  effects  of  which  are  precisely 
similar.' 

However  harmless  the  apparent  effect  of  a  nar- 
cotic drug,  common  sense  must  at  once  perceive  that 
a  repeated  intoxication,  no  matter  how  it  is  produced, 
must  be  ultimately  hurtful  to  the  system.  The  brain, 
accustomed  to  constant  stimulants,  at  length  loses  its 
natural  power,  and  requires  these  artificial  assistants 
to  enable  it  to  perform  its  ordinary  functions,  in  the 
same  manner  that  the  stomach,  from  similar  treat- 
ment, would  at  length  cease  to  act.  This  being  con- 
tinued, the  brain  becomes  semi-torpid,  until  wakened 
up  by  a  powerful  stimulant*;  and  the  nervous  system 
is  at  length  worn  out  by  a  succession  of  exciting 
causes  and  reactions.  Thus  a  hard  drinker  appears 
dull  and  heavy  until  under  the  influence  of  his  secret 
destroyer,  when  he  brightens  up  and,  perhaps,  shines 
in  conversation ;  but  every  reaction  requires  a  stronger 
amount  of  stimulant  to  lessen  its  effect,  until  mind 
and  body  at  length  became  involved  in  the  common 
ruin. 

The  seed  of  the  lotus  is  a  narcotic  of  a  mild 
description,  and  it  is  carefully  gathered  when  ripe, 
and  eaten  by  the  natives. 

The  lotus  is  seen  in  two  varieties  in  Ceylon,   - 

'  This  is  correct 


CHAP.  X.  POISONED   CAKES.  289 

the  pink  and  the  white.  The  former  is  the  most 
beautiful  ;  and  they  are  both  very  common  in  all 
tanks  and  sluggish  streams.  The  leaves  are  larger 
than  those  of  the  water-lily,  to  which  they  bear  a 
great  resemblance,  and  the  blossoms  are  full  double 
the  size.  When  the  latter  fade,  the  petals  fall,  and 
the  base  of  the  flower  and  seed-pod  remains  in  the 
shape  of  a  circular  piece  of  honeycomb,  full  of  cells 
sufficiently  large  to  contain  a  hazel-nut.  This  is 
about  the  size  of  the  seed  ;  but  the  shape  is  more 
like  an  acorn  without  its  cup.  The  flavour  is 
pleasant,  being  something  like  a  filbert,  but  richer 
and  more  oily. 

Stramonium  {Datura  stramonium)^  which  is  a 
powerful  narcotic,  is  a  perfect  weed  throughout  the 
island  ;  but  it  is  not  used  by  the  natives  otherwise 
than  medicinally,  and  the  mass  of  the  people  are 
ignorant  of  its  qualities,  which  are  only  known  to  the 
Cingalese  doctors.  I  recollect  some  years  ago,  in 
Mauritius,  where  this  plant  is  equally  common,  its 
properties  were  not  only  fully  understood,  but  made 
use  of  by  some  of  the  Chinese  emigrants.  These 
fellows  made  cakes  of  manioc,  and  poisoned  them 
with  stramonium.  Hot  manioc  cakes  are  the 
common  every-day  accompaniment  to  a  French 
planter's  breakfast  at  Mauritius,  and  through  the 
medium  of  these,  the  Chinese  robbed  several  houses. 
Their  plan  was  simple  enough. 


7.90  EIGHT   YEARS   IN  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

A  man  with  cakes  to  sell,  appeared  at  the  house 
at  an  early  hour,  and  these  being  purchased,  he 
retired  until  about  two  hours  after  breakfast  was 
concluded.  By  this  time  the  whole  family  were 
insensible,  and  the  thieves  robbed  the  house  at  their 
leisure.  None  of  these  cases  terminated  fatally ; 
but,  from  the  instant  that  I  heard  of  it,  I  made  every 
cake-seller  who  appeared  at  the  door  devour  one  of 
his  own  cakes  before  I  became  a  purchaser.  These 
men,  however,  were  bond  fide  cake-merchants,  and  I 
did  not  meet  with  an  exception. 

There  are  a  great  variety  of  valuable  medicinal 
plants  in  the  jungles  of  Ceylon,  many  of  which  are 
unknown  to  any  but  the  native  doctors.  Those 
most  commonly  known  to  us,  and  which  may  be 
seen  growing  wild  by  the  road-side,  are  the  nux 
vomica,  ipecacuanha,  gamboge,  sarsaparilla,  cassia 
fistula,  cardamoms,  &c. 

The  ipecacuanha  is  a  pretty  delicate  plant,  which 
bears  a  bright  orange-coloured  cluster  of  flowers. 

The  cassia  fistula  is  a  very  beautiful  tree,  growing 
to  the  size  of  an  ash,  which  it  somewhat  resembles  in 
foliage.  The  blossom  is  very  beautiful,  being  a  pen- 
dant of  golden  flowers  similar  to  the  laburnum,  but 
about  two  and  a  half  feet  long,  and  the  individual 
flowers  on  the  bunch  are  large  in  proportion.  When 
the  tree  is  in  full  flower  it  is  very  superb,  and  equally 
as  singular  when  its  beauty  has  faded  and  the  seed- 


CHAP.  X.  THE   GAMBOGE-TREE.  291 

pods  are  formed.  These  grow  to  a  length  of  from 
two  to  three  feet ;  when  ripe  they  are  perfectly  black, 
round,  and  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  in  dia- 
meter. The  tree  has  the  appearance  of  bearing  a 
prolific  crop  of  ebony  rulers,  each  hanging  from  the 
bough  by  a  short  string. 

There  is  another  species  of  cassia  fistula,  the 
foliage  of  which  assimilates  to  the  mimosa.  This 
bears  a  thicker,  but  much  shorter,  pod,  of  about  a 
foot  in  length.  The  properties  of  both  are  the  same, 
being  laxative.  Each  seed  within  the  pod  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  sweet,  black,  and  honey-like  substance, 
which  contains  the  property  alluded  to. 

The  gamboge-tree  is  commonly  known  in  Ceylon 
as  the  'Ghorka.'  This  grows  to  the  common  size 
of  an  apple-tree,  and  bears  a  corrugated  and  in- 
tensely acid  fruit.  This  is  dried  by  the  natives,  and 
used  in  curries.  The  gamboge  is  the  juice  of  the 
tree  obtained  by  incisions  in  the  bark.  This  tree 
grows  in  great  numbers  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Colombo,  especially  among  the  cinnamon  gardens. 
Here,  also,  the  cashew-tree  grows  to  great  perfection. 
The  bark  of  the  latter  is  very  rich  in  tannin,  and  is 
used  by  the  natives  in  the  preparation  of  hides. 
The  fruit  is  like  an  apple  in  appearance,  and  small, 
but  is  highly  astringent.  The  well-known  cashew 
nut  grows  like  an  excrescence  from  the  end  of  the 
apple. 


292  EIGHT  YEARS  fiV  CEYLON.  chap.  x. 

Many  are  the  varieties  and  uses  of  vegetable  pro- 
ductions in  Ceylon,  but  of  these  none  are  more 
singular  and  interesting  than  the  *  Sack  Tree,'  the 
Rita  Gaha  of  the  Cingalese.  From  the  bark  of 
this  tree  an  infinite  number  of  excellent  sacks  are 
procured,  with  very  little  trouble  or  preparation. 
The  tree  being  felled,  the  branches  are  cut  into  logs 
of  the  length  required,  and  sometimes  are  soaked  in 
water ;  but  this  is  not  always  necessary.  The  bark  is 
then  well  beaten  with  a  wooden  mallet,  until  it  is 
loosened  from  the  wood  ;  it  is  then  stripped  as  a 
stocking  is  drawn  off  the  leg.  It  is  subsequently 
bleached,  and  one  end  being  sewn  up,  completes  a 
perfect  sack,  of  a  thick  fibrous  texture,  somewhat 
similar  to  felt. 

These  sacks  are  in  general  use  among  the  natives, 
and  are  preferred  by  them  to  any  other,  as  their 
durability  is  such,  that  they  sometimes  descend  from 
father  to  son.  By  constant  use  they  stretch  and  in- 
crease their  original  size  nearly  one  half  The  texture 
necessarily  becomes  thinner,  but  the  strength  does  not 
appear  to  be  materially  decreased. 

There  are  many  fibrous  barks  in  Ceylon,  some  of 
which  are  so  strong,  that  thin  strips  require  a  great 
amount  of  strength  to  break  them  ;  but  none  of  these 
have  yet  been  reduced  to  a  marketable  fibre.  Several 
barks  are  more  or  less  aromatic ;  others  would  be 
valuable  to  the  tanners  ;  some  are  highly  esteemed  by 


CHAP.  X.     NO   GUM-TREES  OF  VALUE  IN   CEYLON.     2q^ 

the  natives  as  valuable  astringents  ;  but  hitherto  none 
have  received  much  notice  from  Europeans.  This 
may  be  caused  by  the  general  want  of  success  of  all 
experiments  with  indigenous  produce.  Although  the 
jungles  of  Ceylon  produce  a  long  list  of  articles  of 
much  interest,  their  value  chiefly  lies  in  their  curiosity ; 
they  are  useful  to  the  native,  but  comparatively  of 
little  worth  to  the  European.  In  fact,  few  things  will 
actually  pay  for  the  trouble  and  expense  gf  collecting 
and  transporting.  Throughout  the  vast  forests  and 
jungles  of  Ceylon,  although  the  varieties  of  trees  are 
endless,  there  is  not  one  valuable  gum  known  to  exist. 
There  are  a  great  variety  of  coarse  unmarketable  pro- 
ductions, about  equal  to  the  gum  of  the  cherry-tree, 
&c. ;  but  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  high  priced  gum 
in  the  island. 

The  export  of  dammer  is  a  mere  trifle  ;  four  tons 
in  1852,  twelve  tons  in  1853.  This  is  a  coarse  and 
comparatively  valueless  commodity.  No  other  tree 
but  the  doom  produces  any  gum  worth  collecting ; 
this  species  of  rosin  exudes  in  large  quantities  from  an 
incision  in  the  bark,  but  the  small  amount  exported 
shows  its  insignificance.  It  is  a  fair  sample  of  Ceylon 
productions ;  nothing  that  is  uncultivated  is  of  much 
pecuniary  value. 


294  ElGHl^  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  xl 


CHAPTER  XL 

Indigenous  Productions — The  Botanical  Gardens — Suggested  Experi- 
ments— Lack  of  Encouragement  to  Gold-diggers — The  Prospects 
of  Gold-digging — We  want  '  Nuggets  * — Who  is  to  Blame  ? — 
Governor's  Salary — Fallacies  of  a  Five  Years'  Reign — Neglected 
Education  of  the  People — Responsibilities  of  Conquest — Progress  of 
Christianity. 

The  foregoing  chapter  may  appear  to  decry  in  toto 
the  indigenous  productions  of  Ceylon,  as  it  is  asserted 
that  they  are  valueless  in  their  natural  state.  Never- 
theless, I  do  not  imply  that  they  must  necessarily 
remain  useless.  Where  nature  simply  creates  a  genus, 
cultivation  extends  the  species  ;  and  from  an  insignifi- 
cant parent  stock  we  propagate  our  finest  varieties  of 
both  animals  and  vegetables.  Witness  the  wild  kale, 
parsnip,  carrot,  crab-apple,  sloe,  &c.,  all  utterly  worth- 
less, but  nevertheless  the  first  parents  of  their  now 
choice  descendants. 

It  is  therefore  impossible  to  say  what  might  not 
be  done  in  the  improvement  of  indigenous  productions, 
were  the  attention  of  science  bestowed  upon  them. 
But  all  this  entails  expense,  and  upon  whom  is  this 
to  fall }      Out  of  a  hundred  experiments,  ninety-nine 


CHAP.  XI.  THE  BOTANICAL   GARDENS.  395 

might  fail.  In  Ceylon  we  have  no  wealthy  experi- 
mentalists, no  agricultural  exhibitions,  no  model 
farms  ;  but  every  man  who  settles  in  a  colony  has  left 
the  mother-country  to  better  himself,  therefore  no 
private  enterprise  is  capable  of  such  speculation.  It 
clearly  rests  upon  the  government  to  develop  the  re- 
sources of  the  country,  to  prove  the  value  of  the  soil, 
which  is  delivered  to  the  purchaser  at  so  much  per 
acre,  good  or  bad.  But  no ;  it  is  not  in  the  nature  of 
our  government  to  move  from  an  established  routine 
As  the  squirrel  revolves  his  cage,  so  governor  after 
governor  rolls  his  dull  course  along,  pockets  his  salary, 
and  leaves  the  poor  colony  as  he  found  it. ' 

The  government  may  direct  the  attention  of  the 
public,  in  reply,  to  their  own  establishment — to  the 
Botanical  Gardens.  Have  we  not  Botanical  Gardens } 
We  have,  indeed,  and  much  good  they  should  do,  if 
conducted  upon  the  principle  of  developing  local  re- 
sources ;  but  this  would  entail  expense,  and,  like 
everythmg  in  the  hands  of  government,  it  dies  in  its 
birth  for  want  of  consistent  management. 

With  an  able  man  as  superintendent,  at  a  good 
salary,  the  beautiful  gardens  at  Peredenia  are  rendered 
next  to  useless,  for  want  of  a  fund  at  his  disposal. 
Instead  of  being  conducted  as  an  experimental  farm, 


'  This  was  the  wretched  state  of  afiairs  in  1853,  but  the  healthy 
change  since  that  time  is  due  to  the  character  and  ability  of  the  subse- 
quent governors. 

X 


«96  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  xi 

they  are  little  more  than  ordinary  pleasure-grounds, 
filled  with  the  beautiful  foliage  of  the  tropics,  and 
kept  in  perfect  order.  What  benefit  have  they  been 
to  the  colony.?  Have  the  soils  of  various  districts 
been  tested  i* — have  new  fibres  been  manufactured 
from  the  countless  indigenous  fibrous  plants.?- -have 
new  oils  been  extracted  1 — have  medicinal  drugs  been 
produced  .? — have  dyes  been  extracted  } — have  im- 
provements been  suggested  in  the  cultivation  of  any 
of  the  staple  articles  of  Ceylon  export }  In  fact,  has 
ANYTHING  ever  been  done  by  government  for  the 
interest  of  the  private  settler  } 

This  is  not  the  fault  of  the  manager  of  the  gardens ; 
he  has  the  will,  but  no  funds.  My  idea  of  the  object 
of  a  botanical  garden  is,  that  agricultural  theories 
should  be  reduced  to  facts,  upon  which  private  enter- 
prise may  speculate,  and  by  such  success  the  govern- 
ment should  ultimately  benefit' 

It  is  well  known  to  the  commonest  schoolboy, 
that  soil  which  may  be  favourable  to  one  plant 
is  not  adapted  to  another  ;  therefore,  where  there 
is  a  diversity  of  soils,  it  stands  to  reason  that  there 
should  be  a  corresponding  variety  of  crops  to  suit 
those  soils,  so  as  to  make  the  whole  surface  of  the 
land  yield  its  proportion. 

'  Since  this  was  written  the  Ceylon  government  has  established 
gardens  for  experiments,  and  the  cinchona  plant  has  been  successfully 
introduced. 


CHAP.  XI.  SUGGESTED  EXPERIMENTS.  297 

In  Ceylon,  where  the  chief  article  of  production 
is  coffee,  land  (upon  an  estate)  which  is  not  suitable 
to  this  cultivation  is  usually  considered  waste.  Thus 
the  government  and  the  private  proprietor  are  alike 
losers,  in  possessing  an  amount  of  unprofitable  soil. 

Now  surely  it  is  the  common  sense  object  in  the 
establishment  of  a  botanical  garden,  to  discover  for 
each  description  of  soil  a  remunerating  crop,  so  thar 
an  estate  should  be  cultivated  to  its  uttermost,  and  the 
word  *  waste '  be  unknown  upon  the  property. 

Under  the  present  system  of  management  this  is 
impossible  ;  the  sum  allowed  per  annum  is  but  just 
sufficient  to  keep  the  gardens  in  proper  condition,  and 
the  abilities  of  the  botanist  in  charge  are  sacrificed. 
Many  a  valuable  plant  npw  lies  screened  in  the  shades 
of  remote  jungles,  which  the  enterprising  botanist 
would  bring  to  light,  were  he  enabled  by  government 
to  make  periodical  journeys  through  the  interior. 
These  journeys  should  form  a  part  of  his  duties  ;  his 
botanical  specimens  should  be  his  game,  and  they 
should  be  pursued  with  the  ardour  of  the  chase  itself, 
and  subsequently  transferred  to  the  gardens,  and  their 
real  merits  discovered  by  experiments. 

But  what  can  be  expected  from  an  apathetic  sys- 
tem of  government  ?  Dyes,  fibres,  gums  may  abound 
in  the  forests,  metals  and  even  gold  may  be  concealed 
beneath  our  feet ;  but  the  governor  does  not  consider 
it  a  part  of  his  duty  to  prosecute  the  search,  or  even 

X  2 


29»  ETGH7    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xi. 

to  render  facilities  to  those  of  a  more  industrious  tern- 
nerament.  What  can  better  exemplify  the  case  than 
the  recent  discovery  of  gold  at  Newera  EUia  ? 

Here  was  the  plain  fact,  that  gold  was  found  in 
small  specks,  not  in  one  spot,  but  everywhere  through- 
out the  swamps  for  miles  in  the  vicinity.  At  a  depth 
of  two  or  three  feet  from  the  surface,  this  proof  waa 
adduced  of  its  presence  ;  but  the  governor  positively 
refused  to  assist  the  discoverers,  (*  diggers,*  who  were 
poor  sailors  visiting  Ceylon),  although  they  merely 
asked  for  subsistence  until  they  should  be  able  to 
reach  a  greater  depth.  This  may  appear  too  absurd  to 
be  correct,  but  it  is  nevertheless  true. 

At  the  time  that  I  commenced  these  sketches  of 
Ceylon,  the  gold  was  just  discovered,  and  I  touched 
but  lightly  upon  it,  in  the  expectation  that  a  few 
months  of  labour,  aided  by  government  support,  would 
have  established  its  presence  in  remunerating  quanti- 
ties. The  swampy  nature  of  the  soil  rendered  the 
digging  impossible,  without  the  aid  of  powerful  pumps 
to  reduce  the  water  ;  which  filled  the  shaft  so  rapidly, 
that  no  greater  depth  could  be  obtained  than  i8  feet. 

The  diggers  were  absolutely  penniless,  and  but  for 
assistance  received  from  private  parties  they  must  have 
starved.  The  rainy  season  was  at  its  height,  and 
torrents  fell  night  and  day  with  little  intermission. 
Still  these  poor  fellows  worked  early  and  late,  wet 
and  dry,  ever  sanguine  of  success,  and  they  at  length 


CHAP.  Ai.  NO  ENCOURAGEMENT  TO  GOLD-DIGGERS.  299 

petitioned  the  government  to  give  them  the  means  of 
subsistence  for  a  few  months — *  subsistence '  for  two, 
men,  and  the  assistance  of  a  few  coolies.  This  was 
refused,  and  the  reply  stated  that  the  government 
intended  to  leave  the  search  for  gold  to  *  private  enter- 
prise.' No  reward  was  offered  for  its  discovery  as  in 
other  colonies,  but  the  governor  would  leave  it  to 
*  private  enterprise.'  A  promising  enterprise  truly, 
when  every  landholder  in  Ceylon,  on  referring  to  his 
title-deeds,  observes  the  reservation  of  all  precious 
metals  to  the  crown.  This  is  a  fair  sample  of  the 
narrow-minded,  selfish  policy  of  a  government  which, 
in  endeavouring  to  save  a  little,  loses  all  ;  a  miserable 
tampering  with  the  public,  in  attempting  to  make  a 
cat's  paw  of  private  enterprise. 

How  has  this  ended  }  The  diggers  left  the  island 
in  disgust.  If  the  gold  is  there  in  quantity,  there  it 
remains  to  the  present  time,  unsought  for.  The  sub- 
ject of  gold  is  so  generally  interesting,  and  in  this  case 
of  such  importance  to  the  colony,  that,  believing  as  I 
do  that  it  does  exist  in  large  quantities,  I  must  claim 
the  reader's  patience  in  going  into  this  subject  rather 
fully. 

Let  us  take  the  matter  as  it  stands. 

I  mentioned  at  an  early  part  of  these  pages,  that 
gold  was  first  discovered  in  Ceylon  by  the  diggers  in 
the  bed  of  a  stream  near  Kandy  ;  that  they  subse- 
quently came  to  Newera  Ellia,  and  there  discovered 
gold  likewise. 


yjo  EIC.HT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xi. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  main  features  of 
the  country  at  Newera  EUia  and  the  vicinity  are  broad 
flats  or  swampy  plains,  surrounded  by  hills  and  moun- 
tains :  the  former  covered  with  rank  grass  and  inter- 
sected by  small  streams,  the  latter  covered  with  dense 
forest.  The  soil  abounds  with  rocks  of  gneiss  and 
quartz ;  some  of  the  latter  rose-colour,  some  pure 
white.  The  gold  has  hitherto  been  found  in  the  plains 
only.  These  plains  extend  over  some  thirty  miles  of 
country,  divided  into  numerous  patches  by  intervening 
jungles. 

The  surface  soil  is  of  a  peaty  nature,  perfectly 
black,  soapy  when  wet,  and  as  light  as  soot  when 
dry  ;  worthless  for  cultivation.  This  top  soil  is  about 
eighteen  inches  thick,  and  appears  to  have  been  the 
remains  of  vegetable  matter  washed  down  from  the 
surrounding  hills  and  forests. 

This  swampy  black  soil  rests  upon  a  thin  stratum 
of  brownish  clay,  not  more  than  a  few  inches  thick, 
which,  forming  a  second  layer,  rests  in  its  turn  upon  a 
snow-white  rounded  quartz  gravel  intermixed  with 
white  pipeclay. 

This  contains  gold,  every  shovelful  of  earth  pro- 
ducing, when  washed,  one  or  more  specks  of  the  pre- 
cious metal. 

The  stratum  of  rounded  quartz  is  about  two  feet 
thick,  and  is  succeeded  by  pipeclay,  intermixed  with 
quartz  gravel,   to  a  depth   of    eighteen  feet.     Here 


CHAF.  XI.         THE  PROSPECTS  OF  GOLD-DIGGING.         301 

another  stratum  of  quartz  gravel  is  met  with  perfectly 
water-worn,  and  rounded  to  the  size  of  a  twelve-pound 
shot. 

In  this  stratum  the  gold  was  of  increased  size,  and 
some  pieces  were  discovered  as  large  as  small  grains 
of  rice ;  but  no  greater  depth  was  attained,  viz., 
eighteen  feet  from  the  surface. 

No  other  holes  were  sunk  below  ten  feet,  on  ac- 
count of  the  influx  of  water,  but  similar  shafts  were 
made  in  various  places,  and  all  with  equal  success. 

From  the  commencement  of  the  first  stratum  of 
quartz  throughout  to  the  greatest  depth  attained,  gold 
was  present. 

Upon  washing  away  the  clay  and  gravel,  a  great 
number  of  gems  of  small  value  remained  (chiefly 
sapphire,  ruby,  jacinth,  and  green  tourmaline).  These 
being  picked  out,  there  remained  a  jet  black  fine 
sand,  resembling  gunpowder.  This  was  of  great 
specific  gravity,  and  when  carefully  washed,  discovered 
the  gold,  some  in  grains,  some  in  mere  specks,  and 
some  like  fine  golden  flour. 

At  this  interesting  stage  the  search  has  been  given 
up  ;  although  the  cheering  sight  of  gold  can  be  ob- 
tained in  nearly  every  pan  of  earth,  at  such  trifling 
depths,  and  literally  in  every  direction,  the  prospect 
is  abandoned.  The  government  leave  it  to  private 
enterprise ;  but  the  enterprising  public  have  no  faith 
m  the  government 


302  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xi. 

Without  being  over  sanguine,  or,  on  the  other  side, 
crosing  our  ears  with  asinine  stubbornness,  let  us  take 
an  impartial  view  of  the  facts  determined,  and  draw 
rational  conclusions. 

It  appears  that  from  a  depth  of  two  and  a  half 
feet  from  the  surface  to  the  greatest  depth  as  yet 
attained,  (eighteen  feet),  gold  exists  throughout. 

It  also  appears  that  this  is  not  only  the  case  in 
one  particular  spot,  but  all  over  this  part  of  the 
country,  and  that  this  fact  is  undeniable  ;  and,  never- 
theless, the  government  did  not  believe  in  the  existence 
of  gold  in  Ceylon  until  these  diggers  discovered  it ; 
and  when  discovered,  they  gave  the  diggers  neither 
reward  nor  encouragement,  but  they  actually  met  the 
discovery  by  a  published  prohibition  against  the 
search ;  they  then  latterly  withdrew  the  prohibition, 
and  left  it  to  private  enterprise,  but  neglected  the 
unfortunate  diggers.  In  this  manner  is  the  colony 
mismanaged,  in  this  manner  is  all  public  spirit 
damped,  all  private  enterprise  checked,  and  all  men 
who  have  anything  to  venture  disgusted. 

The  liberality  of  a  government  must  be  boundless 
where  the  actual  subsistence  for  a  few  months  is  re- 
fused to  the  discoverers  of  gold  in  a  country  where, 
hitherto,  its  presence  had  been  denied  ! 

It  would  be  speculative  to  anticipate  the  vast 
changes  that  an  extended  discovery  would  effect  in 
such  a  colony  as  Ceylon.     We  have  before  us  the  two 


CHAP.  XI.  '  IVE   WANT  NUGGETS.'  ^03 

pictures  of  California  and  Australia,  which  have  been 
changed  as  though  by  the  magician's  wand  within 
the  last  few  years.  It  becomes  us  now  simply  to 
consider  the  probability  of  the  gold  being  in  such 
quantities  in  Ceylon  as  to  effect  such  changes.  We 
have  at  present  these  simple  data, — that  in  a  soft 
swampy  soil  gold  has  been  found  close  to  the  surface 
in  small  specks,  gradually  increasing  in  size  and  quan- 
tity as  a  greater  depth  has  been  attained. 

From  the  fact  that  gold  will  naturally  lie  deep, 
from  its  specific  gravity,  it  is  astonishing  that  any 
vestige  of  such  a  metal  should  be  discovered  in  such 
spongy  soil  so  close  to  the  surface.  Still  more  as- 
tonishing that  it  should  be  so  generally  disseminated 
throughout  the  locality.  This  would  naturally  be  ac- 
cepted as  a  proof  that  the  earth  is  rich  in  gold.  But 
the  question  will  then  arise — Where  is  the  gold  .?  The 
quantities  found  are  a  mere  nothing,  it  is  only  dust ; 
we  want  '  nuggets.' 

The  latter  is  positively  the  expression  that  I  my- 
self frequently  heard  in  Ceylon, — '  We  want  nug- 
gets.' 

Who  does  not  want  nuggets }  But  people  speak 
of  *  nuggets  '  as  they  would  of  pebbles,  forgetting  that 
the  very  principle  which  keeps  the  light  dust  at  the 
surface,  has  forced  the  heavier  gold  to  a  greater 
depth,  and  that,  far  from  complaining  of  the  lack  of 
nuggets  when  digging  has  hardly  commenced,  they 


304  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  xi 

should  gaze  with  wonder  at  the  bare  existence  of  the 
gold  in  its  present  form  and  situation. 

The  diggings  at  Baliarat  are  from  lOO  to  i6o  feet 
deep  in  hard  ground,  and  yet  people  in  Ceylon  expect 
to  find  heavy  gold  in  mere  mud,  close  to  the  surface. 
The  idea  is  preposterous,  and  I  conceive  it  only 
reasonable  to  infer  from  the  present  appearances,  that 
gold  does  exist  in  large  quantities  in  Ceylon.  But 
as  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  such  to  be  the  case,  so 
it  is  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  private  individuals 
will  invest  capital  in  so  uncertain  a  speculation  as 
mining,  without  facilities  from  the  Government,  and 
in  the  very  face  of  the  clause  in  their  own  title-deeds 

*  that  all  precious  metals  belong  to  the  crown.' 

This  is  the  anomalous  position  of  the  gold  in 
Ceylon  under  the  governorship  of  Sir  G.  Anderson. 

Nevertheless  it  becomes  a  question  whether  we 
should  blame  the  man  or  the  system  ;  but  the  question 
arises  in  this  case,  as  with  everything  else  in  which 
Government    is    concerned,  '  Where    is    the    fault } ' 

*  echo  answers  "  Where  }  "  '  But  the  public  are  not 
satisfied  with  echoes,  and  in  this  matter  of  fact  age 
people  look  to  those  who  fill  ostensible  posts  and 
draw  boitd  fide  salaries  ;  and  if  these  men  hold  the 
appointments,  no  matter  under  what  system,  they 
become  the  deserved  objects  of  either  praise  or  cen- 
sure. 

Thus  it  may  appear  too  much  to  say  that  Sir  G. 


CHAP.  XI.  WHO  IS  TO  BLAME?  305 

Anderson  is  liable  for  the  mismanagement  of  the 
colony  in  toto—ior  the  total  neglect  of  the  public 
roads.  It  may  appear  too  much  to  say,  when  you 
came  to  the  colony  you  found  the  roads  in  good 
order :  they  are  now  impassable ;  communication  is 
actually  cut  off  from  places  of  importance.  This  is 
your  fault,  these  are  the  fruits  of  your  imbecility ; 
your  answer  to  our  petitions  for  repairs  was,  *  There 
is  no  money ; '  and  yet  at  the  close  of  the  year  you 
proclaimed  and  boasted  of  a  saving  of  27,000/.  in  the 
treasury !  This  seems  a  fearful  contradiction  ;  and 
the  whole  public  received  it  as  such.  The  governor 
may  complain  that  the  public  expect  too  much  ; 
the  public  may  complain  that  the  governor  does  too 
little. 

Upon  these  satisfactory  terms,  governors  and  their 
dependants  bow  each  other  out,  the  colony  being  a 
kind  of  opera  stall,  a  reserved  seat  for  the  governor 
during  the  performance  of  five  acts  (as  we  will  term 
his  five  years  of  office) ;  and  the  fifth  act,  as  usual 
in  tragedies,  exposes  the  whole  plot  of  the  preceding 
four,  and  winds  up  with  the  customary  disasters. 

Now  the  question  is,  how  long  this  age  of  misrule 
will  last. 

Every  one  complains,  and  still  every  one  endures. 
Each  man  has  a  grievance,  but  no  man  has  a  remedy. 
Still  the  absurdity  of  our  colonial  appointments  is 
such,  that  if  steps  were  purposely  taken  to  ensure  the 


3o6  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON,  chap.  xi. 

destruction  of  the  colonies,  they  could  not  have  been 
more  certain. 

We  will  commence  with  a  new  governor  dealt 
out  to  a  colony.  We  will  simply  call  him  a  go- 
vernor, not  troubling  ourselves  with  his  qualifications, 
as  of  course  they  have  not  been  considered  at  tht 
Colonial  Office.  He  may  be  an  upright,  clear- 
headed, indefatigable  man,  in  the  prime  of  life ;  or 
he  may  be  old,  crotchety,  pigheaded,  and  mentally 
and  physically  incapable.  He  may  be  either ;  it 
does  not  much  matter,  as  he  can  only  remain  for 
five  years,  at  which  time  his  term  expires. 

We  will  suppose  that  the  crotchety  old  gentleman 
arrives  first.  The  public  will  be  in  a  delightful  per- 
plexity as  to  what  the  new  governor  will  do  ;  whether 
he  will  carry  out  the  views  of  his  predecessor,  or 
whether  he  will  upset  everything  that  has  been  done 
in  the  past  five  years, — all  is  uncertainty.  The  only 
thing  known  positively  is,  that,  good  or  bad,  he  will 
pocket  seven  thousand  a  year  ! 

His  term  of  government  will  be  chequered  by 
many  disappointments  to  the  public,  and,  if  he  has 
any  feeling  at  all,  by  many  heartburnings  to  himself. 
Physically  incapable  of  much  exertion,  he  will  be 
unable  to  travel  over  so  wild  a  country  as  Ceylon.  A 
good  governor  in  a  little  island  may  be  a  very  bad 
governor  in  a  large  island,  as  a  good  cab-driver  might 
make  a  bad  four-in-hand  man     thus  our  old  governor 


CHAP.  XI.     FALLACIES  OF  A  FIVE   YEARS'  REIGN.     y>1 

would  have  no  practical  knowledge  of  the  country, 
but  would  depend  upon  prejudiced  accounts  for  his 
information.  Thus  he  would  never  arrive  at  any- 
correct  conclusion  ;  he  would  receive  all  testimony 
with  doubt,  considering  that  each  had  some  personal 
motive  in  offering  advice,  and  one  tongue  would  thus 
nullify  the  other  until  he  would  at  length  come  to  the 
conclusion  of  David  in  his  haste,  '  that  all  men  are 
liars.'  Incredulity  would  enable  him  to  pass  the  rest 
of  his  term  without  any  active  blunders,  and  he  might 
vary  the  passive  monotony  of  his  existence  by  a 
system  of  contradiction  to  all  advice  gratis.  A  little 
careful  pruning  of  expenses  during  the  last  two  years 
of  his  term  might  give  a  semblance  of  increase  of 
revenue  over  expenditure,  to  gain  a  smile  from  the 
Colonial  Office.  On  his  return,  the  colony  would  be 
left  with  neglected  roads,  consequent  upon  the  with- 
drawal of  the  necessary  funds 

This  incubus  at  length  removed  from  the  colony, 
might  be  succeeded  by  a  governor  of  the  first  class. 

He  arrives  ;  finds  everything  radically  wrong;  the 
great  arteries  of  the  country  (the  roads)  in  disorder  ; 
a  large  outlay  required  to  repair  them.  Thus  his 
first  necessary  act  begins  by  an  outlay  at  a  time  when 
all  outlay  is  considered  equivalent  to  crime.  This 
gains  him  a  frown  from  the  Colonial  Office.  Con- 
scious of  right,  however,  he  steers  his  own  course  ;  he 
travels   over   the  whole   country,   views    its    features 


3o8  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xi. 

personally,  j  udges  of  its  requirements  and  resources, 
gathers  advice  from  capable  persons,  forms  his  own 
opinion,  and  acts  accordingly. 

We  will  allow  two  years  of  indefatigable  research 
to  have  passed  over  our  model  governor  ;  by  that 
time,  and  not  before,  he  may  have  become  thoroughly 
conversant  with  the  colony  in  all  its  bearings.  He 
has  comprehended  the  vast  natural  capabilities,  he 
has  formed  his  plans  methodically  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  country ;  not  by  any  rash  and  speculative 
outlay,  but,  step  by  step,  he  hopes  to  secure  the 
advancement  of  his  schemes. 

This  is  a  work  of  time  ;  he  has  much  to  do.  The 
country  is  in  an  uncivilized  state ;  he  sees  the  vestiges 
of  past  grandeur  around  him,  and  his  views  embrace 
a  wide  field  for  the  renewal  of  former  prosperity. 
Tanks  must  be  repaired,  canals  re-opened,  emigration 
of  Chinese  and  Malabars  encouraged,  forests  and 
jungles  cleared,  barren  land  brought  into  fertility. 
The  work  of  years  is  before  him,  but  the  expiration 
of  his  term  draws  near.  Time  is  precious  ;  but  never- 
theless he  must  refer  his  schemes  to  the  Colonial 
Office.  What  do  they  know  of  Ceylon  t — to  them 
his  plans  seem  visionary  ;  at  all  events,  they  will 
require  an  outlay.  A  correspondence  ensues, — that 
hateful  correspondence, — this  insures  delay.  Time 
flies,  the  expiration  of  his  term  draws  near.  Even  his 
sanguine  temperament  has  ceased  to  hope,  his  plans 


-HAP.  XI.  COLONIAL  ADMINISTRATION.  JP9. 

are  not  yet  commenced,  to  work  out  which  would 
require  years  ;  he  never  could  see  them  realized,  and 
his  successor  might  neglect  them,  and  lay  the  onus  of 
the  failure  upon  him,  the  originator,  or  claim  the  merit 
of  their  success. 

So  much  for  a  five  years*  term  of  governorship, 
the  absurdity  of  which  is  superlative.  It  is  so  entirely 
contrary  to  the  system  of  management  in  private 
affairs,  that  it  is  difficult  to  imagine  the  cause  that 
could  have  given  rise  to  such  a  regulation.  In 
matters  great  or  small,  the  capability  of  the  manager  is 
the  first  consideration ;  and  if  this  be  proved,  the 
value  of  the  man  is  enhanced  accordingly  ;  no  em- 
ployer would  lose  him. 

But  in  colonial  governments  the  system  is  directly 
opposite,  for  no  sooner  does  the  governor  become 
competent,  than  he  is  withdrawn,  and  transferred  to 
another  sphere.  Thus  every  colony  is  like  a  farm 
held  on  a  short  lease,  which  effectually  debars  it  from 
improvement,  as  the  same  feeling  which  actuates  the 
individual  in  neglecting  the  future,  because  he  will  not 
personally  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  labour,  must  in  some 
degree  fetter  the  enterprise  of  a  five  years'  governor. 
He  is  little  better  than  the  Lord  Mayor,  who  flutters 
proudly  for  a  year,  and  then  drops  his  borrowed 
feathers  in  his  moulting  season. 

Why  should  not  governors  serve  an  apprenticeship 
as  colonial  secretaries  to  the  colonies  they  are  destined 


jio  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xi. 

for,  if  five  years  is  still  to  be  the  limited  term  of  their 
office  ?  This  would  insure  a  knowledge  of  the  colony 
at  a  secretary's  salary,  and  render  them  fit  for  both 
the  office  and  salary  of  governor  when  called  upon  ; 
whereas,  by  the  present  system,  they  at  once  receive 
a  governor's  salary  before  they  understand  their 
duties. 

In  casually  regarding  the  present  picture  of  Ceylon, 
it  is  hard  to  say  which  point  has  been  most  neglected ; 
but  a  short  residence  in  the  island  will  afford  a  fair 
sample  of  government  inactivity  in  the  want  of  educa- 
tion among  the  people. 

Upon  this  subject  more  might  be  said  than  lies  in 
my  province  to  dwell  upon  ;  nevertheless,  after  fifty 
years'  possession  of  the  Kandian  districts,  this  want  is 
so  glaring  that  I  cannot  withhold  a  few  remarks  upon 
the  subject,  as  I  consider  the  ignorant  state  of  the 
native  population  a  complete  check  to  the  advance- 
ment of  the  colony. 

In  commencing  this  subject,  I  must  assume  that 
the  conquerors  of  territory  are  responsible  for  the 
moral  welfare  of  the  inhabitants  ;  therefore  our 
responsibility  increases  with  our  conquests.  A  mighty 
onus  thus  rests  upon  Great  Britain,  which  few  consider 
when  they  glory  in  the  boast  that  '  the  sun  never  sets 
upon  her  dominions.' 

This  thought  leads  us  to  a  comparison  of  power 
between  ourselves  and  other  countries,  and  we  trace 


CHAP.  XI,  DESTINY  OF  BRITAIN.  311 

the  small  spot  upon  the  world's  map  which  marks  our 
little  island,  and  in  every  sphere  we  gaze  with  wonder 
at  our  vast  possessions.  This  is  a  picture  of  the 
present.  What  will  the  future  be  in  these  days  of 
advancement }  It  were  vain  to  hazard  a  conjecture  ; 
but  we  can  look  back  upon  the  past,  and  build  upon 
this  foundation  our  future  hopes. 

When  the  pomps  and  luxuries  of  eastern  cities 
spread  throughout  Ceylon,  and  millions  of  inhabitants 
fed  on  her  fertility ;  when  the  hands  of  her  artists 
chiselled  the  figures  of  her  gods  from  the  rude  rock  ; 
when  her  vessels,  laden  with  ivory  and  spices,  traded 
with  the  West,  what  were  we  ?  A  forest-covered 
country,  peopled  by  a  fierce  race  of  savages  clad  in 
skins,  bowing  before  Druidical  idolatry,  paddling  along 
our  shores  in  frames  of  wicker-work  and  hide. 

The  ancient  deities  of  Ceylon  are  in  the  same 
spots,  unchanged  ;  the  stones  of  the  Druids  stand 
unmoved  in  Britain  ;  but  what  has  become  of  the 
nations  t  Those  of  the  East  have  faded  away,  and 
their  strength  has  perished.  Their  ships  are  crumbled ; 
the  rude  canoe  glides  over  their  waves ;  the  spices 
grow  wild  in  their  jungles  ;  and,  unshorn  and  unclad, 
the  inhabitants  wander  on  the  face  of  the  land. 

Is  it  '  chance'  that  has  worked  this  change }  Where 
is  the  forest-covered  country  and  its  savage  race,  its 
skin-clad  warriors  and  their  frail  coracles. 

There,  where  the  forest  stood,  from  north  to  south 
Y 


312  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xi. 

and  from  east  to  west,  spreads  a  wide  field  of  rich 
fertility.  There,  on  those  rivers  where  the  basket- 
boats  once  sailed,  rise  the  taunt  spars  of  England's 
navy.  Where  the  rude  hamlet  rested  on  its  banks  in 
rural  solitude,  the  never  weary  din  of  commerce  rolls 
through  the  city  of  the  world.  The  locomotive  rushes 
like  a  thunder-roll  upon  the  rail ;  the  steamer  ploughs 
against  the  adverse  wind  ;  and,  rapid  as  lightning,  the 
telegraph  cripples  time.  The  once  savage  land  is 
the  nucleus  of  art  and  civilization.  The  nation  that 
from  time  to  time  was  oppressed,  invaded,  conquered, 
but  never  subjected,  still  pressed  against  the  weight 
of  adversity,  and  as  age  after  age  rolled  on,  and 
mightier  woes  and  civil  strife  gathered  upon  her, 
still  the  germ  of  her  destiny,  as  it  expanded,  threw 
off  her  load,  until  she  at  length  became  a  nation 
envied  and  feared. 

it  was  then  that  the  powers  of  the  world  were 
armed  against  her,  and  all  Europe  joined  to  tear  the 
laurels  from  her  crown,  and  fleets  and  armies  thronged 
from  all  points  against  the  devoted  land  ;  and  her  old 
enemy,  the  Gaul,  hovered  like  his  own  eagle  over  the 
expected  prey. 

The  thunder  of  the  cannon  shook  the  ivorld,  and 
blood  tinged  the  waves  around  the  land,  and  war  and 
tumult  shrieked  like  a  tempest  over  the  fair  face  of 
Nature ;  the  din  of  battle  smothered  all  sounds  of 
peace,  and   years  passed   on,  and  thicker  grew  the 


CHAP.  XI.        RESPONSIBILITIES   OF   CONQUEST.  313 

gloom.  It  was  then  the  innate  might  of  the  old 
Briton  roused  itself  to  action,  and  strained  those  giant 
nerves  which  brought  us  victory.  The  struggle  was 
past,  and  as  the  smoke  of  battle  cleared  from  the 
surface  of  the  world,  the  flag  of  England  waved  in 
triumph  on  the  ocean  ;  her  fleets  sat  swanlike  on  the 
waves,  her  standard  floated  on  the  strongholds  of 
the  universe,  and  far  and  wide  stretched  the  vast 
boundaries  of  her  conquests. 

Again  I  ask,  is  this  the  effect  of  '  chance } '  or  is  it 
the  mighty  will  of  Omnipotence,  which,  choosing  His 
instruments  from  the  humbler  ranks,  has  snatched 
England  from  her  lowly  state,  and  has  exalted  her 
to  be  the  apostle  of  Christianity  througnout  the 
world  1 

Here  lies  her  responsibility.  The  conquered 
nations  are  in  her  hands,  they  have  been  subject  to 
her  for  half  a  century ;  but  they  know  neither  her 
language  nor  her  religion. 

How  many  millions  of  human  beings  of  all  creeds 
and  colours  does  she  control }  Are  they  or  their 
descendants  to  embrace  our  faith } — that  is,  are  we 
the  divine  instrument  for  accomplishing  the  vast 
change  that  we  expect  by  the  universal  acknowledg- 
ment of  Christianity,  or  are  we — I  pause  before  the 
suggestion — are  we  but  another  of  those  examples  of 
human  insignificance,  that  as  from  dust  we  rose,  so  to 
dust  we  shall  return .? — shall  we  be  but  another  in  the 

Y2 


314  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  xi 

long  list  of  nations  whose  ruins  rest  upon  the  solitudes 
of  nature,  like  warnings  to  the  proud  cities  which 
triumph  in  their  present  strength  ?  Shall  the  traveller 
in  future  ages  place  his  foot  upon  the  barren  sod,  and 
exclaim,  *  Here  stood  their  great  city  ! ' 

The  inhabitants  of  Nineveh  would  have  scoffed  at 
such  a  supposition.  And  yet  they  fell ;  and  yet  the 
desert  sand  shrouded  their  cities  as  the  autumn  leaves 
fall  on  the  faded  flowers  of  summer. 

To  a  fatalist  it  can  matter  but  little  whether  a 
nation  fulfils  its  duty,  or  whether,  by  neglecting  it, 
punishment  should  be  drawn  down  upon  its  head. 
According  to  his  theory,  neither  good  nor  evil  acts 
would  alter  a  predestined  course  of  events.  There 
are  fatalist  governments  which,  absorbed  in  the  fancied 
prosperity  of  the  present,  legislate  for  temporal  advan- 
tages only. 

Thus  we  see  the  most  inconsistent  and  anomalous 
conditions  imposed  in  treaties  with  conquered  powers ; 
we  see,  for  instance,  in  Ceylon  a  protection  granted  to 
the  Buddhist  religion  while  flocks  of  missionaries  are 
sent  out  to  convert  the  heathen.  We  even  stretch 
the  point  so  far  as  to  place  a  British  sentinel  on 
guard  at  the  Buddhist  temple  in  Kandy,  as  though 
in  mockery  of  our  Protestant  church  a  hundred  paces 
distant. 

At  the  same  time  that  we  acknowledge  and  pro- 
tect the  Buddhist  religion,  we  pray  that  Christianity 


CHAF.  XI.        NEGLECT  OF  NATIVE  EDUCATION.  315 

shall  Spread  through  the  whole  world,  and  we  appoint 
bishops  to  our  colonies.  To  our  disgrace  we  neglect 
the  education  of  the  inhabitants,  who,  by  conquest, 
have  become  our  subjects. 

When  I  say  we  neglect  the  education,  I  do  not 
mean  to  infer  that  there  are  no  government  schools, 
but  that  the  education  of  the  people,  instead  of  being 
one  of  the  most  important  objects  of  the  government, 
is  considered  of  so  little  moment  that  it  is  tantamount 
to  neglected. 

There  are  various  opinions  as  to  the  amount  of 
learning  which  constitutes  education,  and  at  some 
of  the  government  schools  the  native  children  are 
crammed  with  useless  nonsense  which,  by  raising 
them  above  their  natural  position,  totally  unfits  them 
for  their  proper  sphere.  This  is  what  the  government 
calls  education  ;  and  the  same  time  and  expense  thus 
employed  in  teaching  a  few,  would  educate  triple  the 
number  in  plain  English.  It  is  too  absurd  to  hear 
the  arguments  in  favour  of  mathematics,  geography, 
&c.  &c.,  for  the  native  children,  when  a  large  pro- 
portion of  our  own  population  in  Great  Britain  can 
neither  read  nor  write. 

The  great  desideratum  in  native  education  is  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  English  tongue,  which 
naturally  is  the  first  stone  for  any  superstructure  of 
more  extended  learning.  This  brings  them  within 
the  reach  of  the  missionary,  not  only  in  conversation, 


3i6  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  xi 

but  it  enables  them  to  benefit  by  books,  which  are 
otherwise  useless.  It  lessens  the  distance  between 
the  white  man  and  the  black,  and  an  acquaintance 
with  the  English  language  engenders  a  taste  for 
English  habits.  The  first  dawn  of  civilization  com- 
mences with  a  knowledge  of  our  language.  The 
native  immediately  adopts  some  English  customs  and 
ideas,  and  drops  a  corresponding  number  of  his  own. 
In  fact  he  is  a  soil  fit  to  work  upon,  instead  of  being 
a  barren  rock  as  hitherto,  firm  in  his  own  ignorance 
and  prejudices. 

In  the  education  of  the  rising  native  generation 
lies  the  hope  of  ultimate  conversion.  You  may  as 
well  try  to  turn  pitch  into  snow  as  to  eradicate  the 
dark  stain  of  heathenism  from  the  present  race 
Nothing  can  be  done  with  them  ;  they  must  be 
abandoned,  like  the  barren  fig-tree,  and  the  more 
attention  bestowed  upon  the  young  shoots. 

But  unfortunately  this  is  a  popular  error,  and,  like 
all  such,  one  full  of  prejudice.  Abandon  the  present 
race ! !  Methinks  I  hear  the  cry  from  Exeter  Hall. 
But  the  good  people  at  home  have  no  idea  to  what  an 
extent  they  are  at  present,  and  always  have  been, 
abandoned.  Where  the  children  who  can  be  educated 
with  success  are  neglected  at  the  present  day,  it  may 
be  imagined  that  the  parents  have  been  but  little 
cared  for ;  thus,  in  advocating^  their  abandonment.  It 


CHAP.  XI.  USELESS  SCHOOL  SYSTEM.  317 

is  simply  proposing  an  extra  amount  of  attention  to 
be  bestowed  upon  the  next  generation. 

There  are  many  large  districts  of  Ceylon  where 
no  schools  of  any  kind  are  established.  In  the  Ouva 
country,  which  is  one  of  the  most  populous,  I  have 
had  applications  from  the  natives,  begging  me  to 
interest  myself  in  obtaining  some  arrangement  of  the 
kind.  Throngs  of  natives  applied,  describing  the 
forlorn  condition  of  their  district,  all  being  not  only 
anxious  to  send  their  children  to  some  place  where 
they  could  learn  free  of  expense,  but  offering  to  pay  a 
weekly  stipend  in  return.  '  They  are  growing  up  as 
ignorant  as  our  young  buffaloes,'  was  a  remark  made 
by  one  of  the  headmen  of  the  villages,  and  this  within 
twelve  miles  of  Newera  Ellia. 

Now,  leaving  out  the  question  of  policy  in  en- 
deavouring to  make  English  the  common  tongue  of  a 
conquered  colony,  it  must  be  admitted  that,  simply  as 
a  question  of  duty,  it  is  incumbent  upon  the  govern- 
ment to  do  all  in  their  power  for  the  moral  advance- 
ment of  the  native  population.  It  is  known  that  the 
knowledge  of  our  language  is  the  first  step  necessary 
to  this  advancement,  and  nevertheless  it  is  left  un- 
done ;  the  population  is  therefore  neglected. 

I  have  already  adverted  to  the  useless  system  in 
the  government  schools  of  forcing  a  superabundant 
amount  of  knowledge  into  the  children's  brains,  and 
thereby  raising  them  above  their  position.     A  con- 


3i8  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chak  Xt. 

trasting  example  of  good  common  sense  education 
has  recently  been  given  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thurston 
(who  is  indefatigable  in  his  profession)  in  the  forma- 
tion of  an  industrial  school  at  Colombo. 

This  is  precisely  the  kind  of  education  which  is 
required ;  and  it  has  already  been  attended  with 
results  most  beneficial  on  its  limited  scale. 

This  school  is  conducted  on  the  principle  that  the 
time  of  every  boy  shall  not  only  be  of  service  to  him- 
self, but  shall  likewise  tend  to  the  support  of  the 
establishment.  The  children  are  accordingly  in- 
structed in  such  pursuits  as  shall  be  the  means  of 
earning  a  livelihood  in  future  years  ;  some  are  taught 
a  trade,  others  are  employed  in  the  cultivation  of 
gardens,  and  subsequently  in  the  preparation  of  a 
variety  of  produce.  Among  others,  the  preparation 
of  tapioca  from  the  root  of  the  manioc  has  recently 
been  attended  with  great  success.  In  fact  they  are 
engaged  during  their  leisure  hours  in  a  variety  of 
experiments,  all  of  which  tend  to  an  industrial  turn  of 
mind,  benefiting  not  only  the  lad  and  the  school,  but 
also  the  government,  by  preparing  for  the  future  men 
who  will  be  serviceable  and  industrious  in  their 
station. 

Here  is  a  lesson  for  the  government  which,  if 
carried  out  on  an  extensive  scale,  would  work  a 
greater  change  in  the  colony  within  the  next  twenty 
years  than  all  the  preaching  of  the  last  fifty. 


CHAf.  XI.  PliOGRESS  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  319 

Throughout  Ceylon  in  every  district  there  should 
be  established  one  school  upon  this  principle  for 
every  hundred  boys,  and  a  small  tract  of  land  granted 
to  each.  One  should  be  attached  to  the  Botanical 
Gardens  at  Peredenia,  and  instruction  should  be  given 
to  enable  every  school  to  form  its  own  experiments 
in  agriculture.  By  this  means,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years  we  should  secure  an  educated  and  useful  popu- 
lation, in  lieu  of  the  present  indolent  and  degraded 
race  ; — an  improved  system  of  cultivation,  new  pro- 
ducts, a  variety  of  trades,  and  in  fact  a  test  of  the 
capabilities  of  the  country  would  be  ensured,  without 
risk  to  the  government  and  to  the  ultimate  prosperity 
of  the  colony.  Heathenism  could  not  exist  in  such  a 
state  of  affairs  ;  it  would  die  out.  Minds  exalted  by 
education  upon  such  a  system  would  look  with  ridicule 
upon  the  vestiges  of  former  idolatry,  and  the  rocky 
idols  would  remain  without  a  worshipper,  while  a  new 
generation  flocked  to  the  Christian  altar. 

This  is  no  visionary  prospect.  It  has  been  satis- 
factorily proved  that  the  road  to  conversion  to 
Christianity  is  through  knowledge,  and  this  once 
attained,  heathenism  shrinks  into  the  background. 
This  knowledge  can  only  be  gained  by  the  young 
when  such  schools  are  established  as  I  have  described. 

Our   missionaries   should,  therefore,  devote  their' 
attention  to  this  object,  and  cease  to  war  against  the 
impossibility  of  adult  conversion.     If  one  third  of  the 


.A20  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xi. 

enormous  sums  hitherto  expended  with  little  or  no 
results  upon  missionary  labour  had  been  employed  in 
the  establishments  as  proposed,  our  colonies  would 
now  possess  a  Christian  population.  But  are  our 
missionaries  capable.?  Here  commences  another 
question,  which  again  involves  others  in  their  turn,  all 
of  which,  when  answered,  thoroughly  explain  the 
stationary  if  not  retrograde  position  of  the  Protestant 
Church  among  the  heathen. 

What  is  the  reader's  conceived  opinion  of  the 
duties  and  labours  of  a  missionary  in  a  heathen  land } 
Does  he  or  does  he  not  imagine,  as  he  pays  his  sub- 
scription towards  this  object,  that  the  devoted  mis- 
sionary quits  his  native  shores  like  one  of  the  apostles 
of  old,  to  fight  the  good  fight .? — that  he  leaves  all  to 
follow  'Him'  .? — and  that  he  wanders  forth  in  his  zeal 
to  propagate  the  gospel,  penetrating  into  remote  parts, 
preaching  to  the  natives,  attending  on  the  sick,  living 
a  life  of  hardship  and  self-denial  ? 

It  is  a  considerable  drawback  to  this  belief  in 
missionary  labour,  when  it  is  known  that  the  mis- 
sionaries are  not  educated  for  the  particular  colonies 
to  which  they  are  sent ;  upon  arrival,  they  are  totally 
ignorant  of  the  language  of  the  natives  ; — accordingly 
they  are  perfectly  useless  for  the  purpose  of  *  propa- 
gating the  gospel  among  the  heathen.'  Their  mission 
should  be  that  of  instructing  the  young,  and  for  this 
purpose  they  should  first  be  instructed  themselves. 


CHAP.  XI.  ROMISH  MISSIOJSTARIES.  321 

I  do  not  wish  to  throw  a  shade  upon  the  efforts  of 
missionary  labour  ;  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  use 
great  exertions  privately,  which  the  public  on  the  spot 
do  not  observe  ;  but  taking  this  for  granted  as  the 
case,  the  total  want  of  success  in  the  result  becomes 
the  more  deplorable. 

I  have  also  no  doubt  that  the  missionaries  pene- 
trate into  the  most  remote  parts  of  Ceylon,  and  preach 
the  gospel.  For  many  years  I  have  traversed  the 
wildernesses  of  Ceylon  at  all  hours  and  at  all  seasons. 
I  have  met  many  strange  things  during  my  forest 
journeys,  but  I  never  recollect  a  missionary.  The 
Bishop  of  Colombo  is  the  only  man  I  know  who 
travels  out  of  the  high  road  for  this  purpose  ;  and  he, 
both  in  this  and  many  other  respects,  offers  an 
example  which  few  appear  to  follow. 

Nevertheless,  although  Protestant  missionaries  arc 
so  rare  in  the  jungles  of  the  interior,  and,  if  ever  there, 
no  vestige  ever  remains  of  such  a  visit,  still,  in  spots 
where  it  might  be  least  expected,  may  be  seen  the 
humble  mud  hut,  surmounted  by  a  cross,  the  certain 
trace  of  some  persevering  priest  of  the  Roman  faith. 
These  men  display  an  untiring  zeal,  and  no  point  is 
too  remote  for  their  good  offices.  Probably  they  are 
not  so  comfortable  in  their  quarters  in  the  towns  as 
the  Protestant  missionaries,  and  thus  they  have  less 
hesitation  in  leaving  home. 
•    The  few  converts  that  have  been  made  are  chiefly 


322  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xi. 

Roman  Catholics,  as,  among  the  confusion  arising 
from  our  multitudinous  sects  and  schisms,  the  native 
is  naturally  bewildered.  What  with  High  Church, 
Low  Church,  Baptists,  Wesleyans,  Presbyterians,  &c. 
&c.  &c.,  the  ignorant  native  is  perfectly  aghast  at  the 
variety  of  choice. 

With  the  members  of  our  Church  in  such  a  dis- 
located state,  progression  cannot  be  expected  by 
simple  attempts  at  conversion  ;  even  were  the  natives 
willing  to  embrace  the  true  faith,  they  would  have 
great  difficulty  in  finding  it  amidst  the  crowd  of 
adverse  opinions.  Without  probing  more  deeply  into 
these  social  wounds,  I  must  take  leave  of  the  mis- 
sionary labours  in  Ceylon,  trusting  that  ere  long  the 
eyes  of  the  government  will  be  fixed  upon  the  true 
light  to  guide  the  prosperity  of  the  island,  by  framing 
an  ordinance  for  the  liberal  education  of  the  people. 


3«3 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Pearl  Fishery — Desolation  of  the  Coast — Harbour  of  Tnncomalie 
— Fatal  Attack  by  a  Shark — Ferocious  Crocodiles — Salt  Monopoly 
— Salt  Lakes — Method  of  Collection — Neglect  of  Ceylon  Hides — 
Fish  and  Fishing- -Primitive  Tackle — Oyster  and  Penknives — A 
Night  Bivouac  for  a  Novice — No  Dinner,  but  a  Good  Fire — Wild 
Yams  and  Consequences — The  Elephants'  Duel — A  Hunting  Hermi- 
tage— 'Bluebeard's'  last  Hunt — The  Leopard — •  Bluebeard's'  Death 
— Leopard  Shot. 

While  fresh  from  the  subject  of  government  mis- 
management, let  us  turn  our  eyes  in  the  direction  of 
one  of  those  natural  resources  of  wealth  for  which 
Ceylon  has  ever  been  renowned,  the  *  Pearl  Fishery.' 
This  was  the  goose  which  laid  the  golden  egg,  and  Sir 
W.  Horton,  when  governor  of  Ceylon,  was  the  man 
who  killed  the  goose. 

Here  was  another  fatal  instance  of  the  effects  of  a 
five  years'  term  of  governorship. 

It  was  the  last  year  of  his  term,  and  he  wished  to 
prove  to  the  Colonial  Office  that  *  his  talent '  had  not 
been  laid  up  in  a  napkin,  but  that  he  had  left  the 
colony  with  an  excess  of  income  over  expenditure. 
To  obtain  this  income,  he  fished  up  all  the  oysters, 


324  ETGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYT.ON.  chap.  xii. 

and  ruined  the  fishery  in  consequence ;  from  that  day 
to  the  present  time  it  has  been  unproductive. 

This  is  a  serious  loss  of  income  to  the  colony,  and 
great  doubts  are  entertained  as  to  the  probability  of 
the  oyster  banks  ever  recovering  their  fertility. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  desolation  of  the  coast  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  pearl-banks.  For  many 
miles  the  shore  is  a  barren  waste  of  low  sandy  ground, 
covered  for  the  most  part  with  scrubby  thorny  jungle, 
diversified  by  glades  of  stunted  herbage.  Not  a  hill 
is  to  be  seen  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  The  tracks 
of  all  kind  of  game  abound  on  the  sandy  path,  with 
occasionally  those  of  a  naked  foot ;  but  seldom  does 
a  shoe  imprint  its  civilised  mark  upon  these  lonely 
shores. 

The  whole  of  this  district  is  one  of  the  best  in 
Ceylon  for  deer-shooting,  which  is  a  proof  of  its  want 
of  inhabitants.  This  has  always  been  the  case,  even 
in  the  prosperous  days  of  the  pearl  fishery.  So  utterly 
worthless  is  the  soil,  that  it  remains  in  a  state  of 
nature,  and  its  distance  from  Colombo  (150  miles) 
keeps  it  in  entire  seclusion. 

It  is  difficult  to  conceive  that  any  source  of  wealth 
should  exist  in  such  a  locality.  When  standing  on  the 
parched  sand  with  the  burning  sun  shining  in  pitiless 
might  upon  all  around,  the  meagre  grass  burnt  to  a 
mere  straw,  the  tangled  bushes  denuded  of  all  verdure 
save  a  few  shrivelled  leaves,  the  very  insects  seeking 


CHAP.  xu.         DESOLATION  OF  THE   COAST.  325 

shelter  from  the  rays  ;  there  is  not  a  tree  to  throw  a 
shadow,  but  a  dancing  haze  of  molten  air  hovers  upon 
the  ground,  and  the  sea  like  a  mirror  reflects  a  glare, 
which  makes  the  heat  intolerable.  And  yet  beneath 
the  wave  on  this  wild  and  desolate  spot,  glitter  those 
baubles  that  minister  to  man's  vanity  ;  and,  as  though 
in  mockery  of  such  pursuits,  1  have  seen  the  bleached 
skulls  of  bygone  pearl-seekers  lying  upon  the  sand, 
where  they  have  rotted  in  view  of  the  coveted  trea- 
sures. 

There  is  an  appearance  of  ruin  connected  with 
everything  in  the  neighbourhood.  Even  in  the  good 
old  times,  this  coast  was  simply  visited  during  the 
period  of  fishing.  Temporary  huts  were  erected  for 
thousands  of  natives,  who  thronged  to  Ceylon  from 
all  parts  of  the  east  for  the  fascinating  speculations  of 
the  pearl  fishery.  No  sooner  was  the  season  over, 
than  every  individual  disappeared  ;  the  wind  swept 
away  the  huts  of  sticks  and  leaves ;  and  the  only 
vestiges  remaining  of  the  recent  population,  were  the 
government  stores  and  house  at  Arripo,  like  the  bones 
of  the  carcass  after  the  vultures  had  feasted  and  de- 
parted. All  relapsed  at  once  into  its  usual  state  of 
desolation. 

The  government  house  was  at  one  time  a  building 
of  some  little  pretension,  and  from  its  style  it  bore  the 
name  of  the  '  Doric'  It  is  now,  like  everything  else, 
in  a  state  of  lamentable  decay.     The  honeycombed 


3*6  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

eighteen-pounder,  which  was  the  signal  gun  of  former 
years,  is  choked  with  drifting  sand,  and  the  air  of 
misery  about  the  place  is  indescribable. 

Now  that  the  diving  helmet  has  rendered  sub- 
aqueous discoveries  so  easy,  I  am  surprised  that  a 
government  survey  has  not  been  made  of  the  whole 
noith-west  coast  of  Ceylon.  It  seems  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  the  pearl  oyster  should  inhabit  depths 
which  excluded  the  simple  diver  of  former  days,  and 
that  our  modern  improvements  mightdiscover  treasures 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  old  pearl  beds  of  which 
we  are  now  in  ignorance.  The  best  divers,  without 
doubt,  could  never  much  exceed  a  minute  in  submer- 
sion. I  believe  the  accounts  of  their  performances 
generally  to  have  been  much  exaggerated.  At  all 
events,  those  of  the  present  day  do  not  profess  to 
remain  under  water  much  more  than  a  minute. 

The  accounts  of  Ceylon  pearl  fisheries  are  so 
common  in  every  child's  book  that  I  do  not  attempt 
to  describe  the  system  in  detail.  Like  all  lotteries, 
there  are  few  prizes  to  the  proportion  of  blanks. 

The  whole  of  this  coast  is  rich  in  the  biche  de  mevy 
more  commonly  called  the  sea-slug.  This  is  a  dis- 
gusting species  of  mollusca,  which  grows  to  a  large 
size,  being  commonly  about  a  foot  in  length  and  three 
or  four  inches  in  diameter.  The  capture  and  prepara- 
tion of  these  creatures  is  confined  exclusively  to  the 
Chinese,  who  dry  them   in  the  sun  until  they  shrink 


CHAP.  XTi.  HARBOUR   OF  TRINCOMALIE.  327 

to  the  size  of  a  large  sausage,  and  harden  to  the  con- 
sistence of  horn  ;  they  are  then  exported  to  China 
for  making  soups.  No  doubt  they  are  more 
strengthening  than  agreeable ;  but  I  imagine  that  our 
common  garden  slug  would  be  an  excellent  substitute 
to  any  one  desirous  of  an  experiment,  as  it  exactly 
resembles  its  nautical  representative  in  colour  and 
appearance.  Trincomalie  is  the  great  depot  for  this 
trade,  which  is  carried  on  to  a  large  extent,  together 
with  that  of  sharks'  fins,  the  latter  being  used  by  the 
Chinese  for  the  same  purpose  as  the  biche  de  7ner. 
Trincomalie  affords  many  facilities  fcr  this  trade,  as 
the  slugs  are  found  in  large  quantities  on  the  spot ; 
and  the  finest  harbour  of  the  east  is  alive  with  sharks 
Few  things  surpass  the  tropical  beauty  of  this  har- 
bour ;  lying  completely  land-locked,  it  forms  a  glassy 
lake  surrounded  by  hills  covered  with  the  waving 
foliage  of  cocoa-nut  trees  and  palms  of  great  variety. 
The  white  bungalows,  with  their  red-tiled  roofs,  are 
dotted  about  along  the  shore,  and  two  or  three  men- 
of-war  are  usually  resting  at  their  ease  in  this  calm 
retreat.  So  deep  is  the  water,  that  the  harbour  forms 
a  perfect  dock  ;  the  largest  vessel  can  lie  so  close  to 
the  shore  that  her  yards  overhang  it ;  this  enables 
stores  and  cargo  to  be  shipped  with  great  facility. 

The  fort  stands  upon  a  projecting  point  of  land, 
which  rises  to  about  seventy  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  galle  face  (the  race-course),  which  faces  it.     Thus 

Z 


,428  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

it  commands  the  land  approach  across  the  flat  plain 
on  one  side,  and  the  sea  on  the  other.  This  same  fort 
is  one  of  the  hottest  corners  of  Ceylon,  and  forms  a 
desirable  residence  for  those  who  delight  in  a  tem- 
perature of  from  90°  to  104°  in  the  shade.  Bathing 
is  the  great  enjoyment ;  but  the  pleasure  in  such  a 
country  is  destroyed  by  the  knowledge  that  sharks 
are  looking  out  for  you  in  the  sea,  and  crocodiles  in 
the  rivers  and  tanks  ;  thus  a  man  is  nothing  more 
than  an  exciting  live-  bait  when  he  once  quits  terra 
firma.  Accidents  necessarily  must  happen  ;  but  they 
are  not  so  frequent  as  persons  would  suppose  from  the 
great  number  of  carnivorous  monsters  that  exist. 
Still  I  am  convinced  that  a  white  man  would  run 
greater  risk  than  a  black  ;  he  is  a  more  enticing  bait, 
being  bright  and  easily  distinguished  in  the  water. 
Thus  in  places  where  the  natives  are  in  the  habit  of 
bathing  with  impunity,  it  would  be  most  dangerous 
for  a  white  man  to  enter. 

There  was  a  lamentable  instance  of  this  some  few 
years  ago  at  Trincomalie.  In  a  sheltered  nook  among 
the  rocks  below  the  fort,  where  the  natives  were  always 
in  the  habit  of  bathing,  a  party  of  soldiers  of  the 
regiment  then  in  garrison  went  down  one  sultry  after- 
noon for  a  swim.  It  was  a  lovely  spot  for  bathing, 
the  water  was  blue,  clear,  and  calm,  as  the  reef  that 
stretched  far  out  to  sea  served  as  a  breakwater  to  the 
heavy  surf,  and   preserved  the   inner  water  as  smooth 


CHAP.  XTi.         FATAL   ATTACK  BY  A   SHARK.  32^ 

as  a  lake.     Here  were  a  fine  lot  of  English  soldiers 
stripped  to  bathe ;    and  although  the  ruddy  hue  of 
British  health  had   long  since  departed  in  the  languid 
climate  of  the  East,  nevertheless  their  spirits  were  as 
high  as  those  of  Englishmen  usually  are,  no  matter 
where  or  under  what  circumstances.     However,  one 
after  the  other  took  a  run,  and  then  a  '  header '  off  the 
rocks  into  the  deep  blue  water  beneath.     In  the  long 
line  of  bathers  was  a  fine  lad  of  fifteen,  the  son  of  one 
of  the  sergeants  of  the  regiment ;  with  the  emulation 
of  his  age  he  ranked  himself  among  the  men,  and  on 
arriving  at  the  edge  he  plunged  head-foremost  into 
the  water  and  disappeared.     A  crowd  of  men  were  on 
the  margin  watching  the  bathing  ;  the  boy  rose  to  the 
surface  within  a  few  feet  of  them,  but  as  he  shook  the 
water  from  his  hair,  a  cloudy  shadow  seemed  to  rise 
from  the  deep  beneath  him,  and  in  another  moment 
the  distinct  outline  of  a  large  shark  was  visible  as  his 
white  belly  flashed  below.     At  the  same  instant  there 
was  a  scream  of  despair ;  the  water  was  crimsoned, 
and  a  bloody  foam  rose  to  the  surface  ; — the  boy  was 
gone  !     Before  the  first  shock  of  horror  was  well  felt 
by  those  around,  a  gallant  fellow  of  the  same  regiment 
shot  head-first  into  the  bloody  spot,  and  presently  re- 
appeared from  his  devoted  plunge,  bearing  in  his  arms 
one  half  of  the   poor  boy.     The   body  was  bitten  off 
at  the  waist,   and   the  lower  portion  was  the  prize  of 

the  ground  shark. 

z  2 


330  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

For  several  days  the  soldiers  were  busily  employed 
in  fishing  for  this  monster,  while  the  distracted  mother 
sat  in  the  burning  sun,  watching  in  heart-broken 
eagerness,  in  the  hope  of  recovering  some  trace  of  her 
lost  son.  This,  however,  was  not  to  be ;  the  shark 
was  never  seen  again. 

There  is  as  much  difference  in  the  characters  of 
sharks  as  among  other  animals  or  men.  Some  are 
timid  and  sluggish,  moving  as  though  too  lazy  to  seek 
their  food  ;  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  such  would 
seldom  attack  man.  Others,  on  the  contrary,  dash 
through  the  water  as  a  pike  would  seize  its  prey,  and 
refuse  or  fear  nothing.  There  is  likewise  a  striking 
distinction  in  the  habits  of  crocodiles;  those  which 
inhabit  rivers  are  far  more  destructive  and  fearless 
than  the  inhabitants  of  the  tanks.  The  natives  hold 
the  former  in  great  terror,  while  with  the  latter  they 
run  risks  which  are  sometimes  fatal.  I  recollect  a  large 
river  in  the  south-east  of  Ceylon,  which  so  abounded 
with  ferocious  crocodiles  that  the  natives  would  not 
enter  the  water  in  depths  above  the  knees,  and  even  this 
they  objected  to,  unless  necessity  compelled  them  to 
cross  the  river.  I  was  encamped  on  the  banks  for 
some  little  time,  and  the  natives  took  the  trouble 
to  warn  me  especially  not  to  enter  ;  as  a  proof  of  the 
danger,  they  showed  me  a  spot  where  three  men  had 
been  devoured  in  the  course  of  one  year ;  all  three  of 


CHAP.  XII.  FEROCIOUS  CROCODILES,  I31 

whom  are  supposed  to  have  ministered   to  the  appe- 
tite of  the  same  crocodile. 

Few  reptiles  are  more  disgusting  in  appearance 
than  these  brutes ;  but,  nevertheless,  their  utility- 
counterbalances  their  bad  qualities,  as  they  cleanse  the 
water  from  all  impurities.  So  numerous  are  they, 
that  their  heads  may  be  seen  in  fives  and  tens  toge- 
ther, floating  at  the  top  of  the  water  like  rough  corks ; 
and  at  about  five  P.M.  they  bask  on  the  shore  close  to 
the  margin  of  the  water,  ready  to  scuttle  in  on  the 
shortest  notice.  They  are  then  particularly  on  the 
alert,  and  it  is  a  most  difficult  thing  to  stalk  them,  so 
as  to  get  near  enough  to  make  a  certain  shot.  This 
is  not  bad  amusement,  when  no  other  sport  can  be 
had.  Around  the  margin  of  a  lake,  in  a  large  plain 
far  in  the  distance,  may  be  seen  a  distinct  line  upon 
the  short  grass  like  the  fallen  trunk  of  a  tree.  As 
there  are  no  trees  at  hand,  this  must  necessarily  be  a 
crocodile.  Seldom  can  the  best  hand  at  stalking 
then  get  within  eighty  yards  of  him,  before  he  lifts 
his  scaly  head,  and,  listening  for  a  second,  plunges  off 
the  bank. 

I  have  been  contradicted  for  stating  that  a  ball 
will  penetrate  their  scales.  It  is  absurd,  however,  to 
hold  the  opinion  that  the  scales  will  turn  a  ball,  that 
is  to  say  stop  the  ball  (as  we  know  that  a  common 
twig  will  of  course  turn  it  from  its  direction,  if  struck 
obliquely). 


332  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  xil 

The  scales  of  a  crocodile  are  formed  of  bone  ex- 
quisitely jointed  together  like  the  sections  of  a  skull. 
These  are  covered  externally  with  a  horny  skin, 
forming  no  doubt  an  excellent  defensive  armour, 
about  an  inch  in  thickness;  but  the  idea  of  their 
being  impenetrable  to  a  ball,  if  struck  fair,  is  a  great 
fallacy.  People  may,  perhaps,  complain  because  a 
pea  rifle  with  a  mere  pinch  of  powder  may  be  ineffi  - 
cient ;  but  a  common  No.  i6  fowling-piece,  with  two 
drachms  of  powder,  will  penetrate  any  crocodile  that 
was  ever  hatched. 

Among  the  most  harmless  kinds  are  those  which 
inhabit  the  salt  lakes  in  the  south  of  Ceylon.  I  have 
never  heard  of  an  accident  in  these  places,  although 
hundreds  of  persons  are  employed  annually  in  col- 
lecting salt  from  the  bottom. 

These  natural  reservoirs  are  of  great  extent,  some 
of  them  being  many  miles  in  circumference.  The 
most  productive  are  about  four  miles  round,  and 
yield  a  supply  in  August  during  the  height  of  the 
dry  season. 

Salt  in  Ceylon  is  a  government  monopoly,  and  it 
has  hitherto  been  the  narrow  policy  of  the  govern- 
ment to  keep  up  an  immense  price  upon  this  neces- 
sary of  life,  when  the  resources  of  the  country  could 
produce  any  amount  required  for  the  island  consump- 
tion. 

These  are  now  all  but  neglected,  and  the  govern- 


CHAP.  XII.  SALT  MONOPOLY.  333 

rnent  simply  gather  the  salt  as  the  wild  pig  feeds 
upon  the  fruit  which  falls  from  the  tree  in  its  season. 

The  government  price  of  salt  is  now  about  three 
shillings  per  bushel.  This  is  very  impure,  being 
mixed  with  much  dirt  and  sand.  The  revenue 
obtained  by  the  salt  monopoly  is  about  40,000/.  per 
annum,  two-thirds  of  which  is  an  unfair  burden  upon 
the  population,  as  the  price,  according  to  the  supply 
obtainable,  should  never  exceed  one  shilling  per 
bushel. 

Let  us  consider  the  capabilities  of  the  locality 
from  which  it  is  collected. 

The  lakes  are  some  five  or  six  in  number,  situ- 
ated within  half  a  mile  of  the  sea,  separated  only  by 
a  high  bank  of  drift  sand,  covered  for  the  most  part 
with  the  low  jungle  which  clothes  the  surrounding 
country.  Flat  plains  of  a  sandy  nature  form  the 
margins.  The  little  town  of  Hambantotte,  with  a 
good  harbour  for  small  craft,  is  about  twenty  miles 
distant,  to  which  there  is  a  cart  road. 

The  water  of  these  lakes  is  perfect  brine.  In  the 
dry  season  the  evaporation  of  course  increases  the 
strength  until  the  water  can  no  longer  retain  the 
amount  of  salt  in  solution.  It  therefore  precipitates 
and  crystallizes  at  the  bottom  in  various  degrees  of 
thickness  according  to  the  strength  of  the  brine. 

Thus,  as  the  water  recedes  from  the  banks  by 
evaporation  and  the  lake  decreases  in  size,  it  leaves  a 


334  EIGHT  yjSAkS  m  CEYLON.  cttAf.  xil. 

beach,  not  of  shingles,  but  of  pure  salt  in  crystallized 
cubes  to  the  depth  of  several  inches  ;  sometimes  ex- 
ceeding half  a  foot.  The  bottom  of  the  lake  is 
equally  coated  with  this  thick  deposit. 

These  lakes  are  protected  by  watchers,  who  live 
upon  the  margin  throughout  the  year.  Were  it  not 
for  this  precaution,  immense  quantities  of  salt  would 
be  stolen.  In  the  month  of  August  the  weather  is 
generally  most  favourable  for  the  collection,  at  which 
time,  the  assistant  agent  for  the  district  usually  gives 
a  few  days*  superintendence. 

The  salt  upon  the  shore  being  first  collected,  the 
natives  wade  into  the  lake  and  gather  the  deposit 
from  the  bottom,"  which  they  bring  to  the  shore  in 
baskets  ;  it  is  then  made  up  into  vast  piles,  which  are 
subsequently  thatched  over  with  cajans  (the  plaited 
leaf  of  the  cocoa-nut).  In  this  state  it  remains  until 
an  opportunity  offers  for  carting  it  to  the  government 
salt-stores. 

This  must  strike  the  reader  as  being  a  rude  method 
of  collecting  what  nature  so  liberally  produces.  The 
waste  is  necessarily  enormous,  as  the  natives  cannot 
gather  the  salt  at  a  greater  depth  than  three  feet  ; 
hence  the  greater  proportion  of  the  annual  produce  of 
the  lake  remains  ungathered.  The  supply  at  present 
afforded  might  be  tripled  with  very  little  trouble  ot 
expense. 

If  a  stick  is  inserted  in  the  mud  so  that  one  end 


CHA1».  X1 1.  SALT  LAKES.  335 

Stands  above  water,  the  salt  crystallizes  upon  it  in  a 
large  lump  of  several  pounds'  weight.  This  is  of  a 
better  quality  than  that  which  is  gathered  from  the 
bottom,  being  free  from  sand  or  other  impurities. 
Innumerable  samples  of  this  may  be  seen  upon  the 
stakes  which  the  natives  have  stuck  in  the  bottom  to 
mark  the  line  of  their  day's  work. 

Were  the  government  anxious  to  increase  the 
produce  of  these  natural  reservoirs,  nothing  could  be 
more  simple  than  to  plant  the  whole  lake  with 
rows  of  stakes.  The  wood  is  on  the  spot,  and  the 
rate  of  labour  sixpence  a  day  per  man ;  thus  it 
might  be  accomplished  for  a  comparatively  small 
amount. 

This  would  not  only  increase  the  produce  to  an 
immense  degree,  but  it  would  also  improve  the  purity 
of  the  collection,  and  would  render  facilities  for 
gathering  the  crop  by  means  of  boats,  and  thus 
obviate  the  necessity  of  entering  the  water  ;  at  present 
the  suffering  caused  by  the  latter  process  is  a  great 
drawback  to  the  supply  of  labour.  So  powerful  is 
the  brine,  that  the  legs  and  feet  become  excoriated 
after  two  or  three  days'  employment,  and  the  natives 
have  a  great  aversion  to  the    ccupation. 

Nothing  could  be  easier  than  gathering  the  crop 
by  the  method  proposed.  Boats  would  paddle  along 
between  the  rows  of  stakes,  while  each  stick  would  be 
pulled  up,  and  the  salt  disengaged  by  a  single  blow  : 


i36  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

the  Stick  would  then  be  replaced   in  its  position  until 
the  following  season. 

Nevertheless,  although  so  many  specimens  exist 
of  this  accumulation,  the  method  which  was  adopted 
by  the  savage  is  still  followed  by  the  soi-disant 
civilized  man. 

In  former  days,  when  millions  occupied  Ceylon, 
the  demand  for  salt  must  doubtless  have  been  in  pro- 
portion, and  the  lakes  which  are  now  so  neglected 
must  have  been  taxed  to  their  utmost  resources. 
There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  barbarians  of  those 
times  had  some  more  civilized  method  of  increasing 
the  production  than  the  enlightened  race  of  the 
present  day. 

The  productive  salt  lakes  are  confined  entirely  to 
the  south  of  Ceylon.  Lakes  and  estuaries  of  sea- 
water  abound  all  round  the  island  ;  but  these  are  only 
commonly  salt,  and  do  not  yield.  The  north  and  the 
east  coast  are  therefore  supplied  by  artificial  salt-pans. 
These  are  simple  enclosed  levels  on  the  beach,  into 
which  the  sea-water  is  admitted,  and  then  allowed  to 
evaporate  by  the  heat  of  the  sun.  The  salt,  of  course, 
remains  at  the  bottom.  More  water  is  then  admitted, 
and  again  evaporated  ;  and  this  process  continues 
until  the  thickness  of  the  salt  at  the  bottom  allows  of 
its  being  collected 

This  simple  plan  might  be  adopted  with  great 
success  with  the  powerful  brine  of  the  salt  lakes,  whicn 


CHAP.  XII.        NEGLECT  OF  CEYLON  HIDES.  337 

might  be  pumped  from  its  present  lower  level  into 
dry  reservoirs  for  evaporation. 

The  policy  of  the  government,  however,  does  not 
tend  to  the  increase  of  any  production.  It  is  preferred 
to  keep  up  the  high  rate  of  salt  by  a  limited  supply 
which  meets  with  immediate  demand,  rather  than  to 
increase  the  supply  for  the  public  benefit  at  a  reduced 
rate.  This  is  a  mistaken  mode  of  reasoning.  At  the 
present  high  price,  the  consumption  of  salt  is  extremely 
small,  as  its  use  is  restricted  to  absolute  necessaries. 
On  the  other  hand,  were  the  supply  increased,  at  one 
half  the  present  rate,  the  consumption  would  augment 
in  a  far  greater  proportion,  as  salt  would  then  be  used 
for  a  variety  of  purposes  which  at  the  present  cost  are 
impossible, — viz.,  for  the  purpose  of  cattle-feeding, 
manures,  &c.  &c.  In  addition  to  this,  it  would  vastly 
affect  the  price  of  salt  fish  (the  staple  article  of  native 
consumption)  ;  and  by  the  reduction  in  the  cost  of 
this  commodity  there  would  be  a  corresponding 
extension  in  the  trade. 

The  hundreds  of  thousands  of  hides  which  are  now 
thrown  aside  to  rot  uncared  for,  would  then  be  pre- 
served and  exported,  which  at  the  present  rate  of  salt 
is  impossible.  The  skins  of  buffaloes,  oxen,  deer, 
swine,  all  valuable  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  in 
Ceylon  are  valueless.  The  wild  buffalo  is  not  even 
skinned  when  shot  ;  he  is  simply  opened  for  his 
marrow-bones,  his  tail  is   cut  off  for  soup,  his  brains 


338  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

taken  out  for  cotelettes,  and  his  tongue  salted.  The 
beast  himself,  hide  and  all,  is  left  as  food  for  the 
jackal.  The  wandering  native  picks  up  his  horns, 
which  find  their  way  to  the  English  market ;  but 
the  'hide,'  the  only  really  valuable  portion,  is  neg- 
lected. 

Within  a  short  distance  of  the  salt  lakes,  buffaloes, 
boar,  and  in  fact  all  kind  of  animals  abound  ;  and  I 
have  no  doubt  that  if  it  were  once  proved  to  the 
natives  that  the  hides  could  be  made  remunerative, 
they  would  soon  learn  the  method  of  preparation. 

Some  persons  have  an  idea  that  a  native  will  not 
take  the  trouble  to  do  anything  that  would  turn  a 
penny ;  in  this  I  do  not  agree.  Certainly  a  native 
has  not  sufficient  courage  for  a  speculation  which 
involves  the  risk  of  loss ;  but  provided  he  is  safe  in 
that  respect,  he  will  take  unbounded  trouble  for  his 
own  benefit,  not  valuing  his  time  or  labour  in  pursuit 
of  his  object. 

I  have  noticed  a  great  change  in  the  native  habits 
along  the  southern  coast,  which  exemplifies  this,  since 
the  steamers  have  touched  regularly  at  Galle. 

Some  years  ago,  elephants,  buffaloes,  &c.,  when 
shot  by  sportsmen,  remained  untouched  except  by 
the  wild  beast ;  but  now  within  1 50  miles  of  Galle 
every  buffalo-horn  is  collected,  and  even  the  elephants' 
grinders  are  extracted  from  the  skulls  and  brought 
into  market. 


CHAP.  XII.  FTSH  AND  FISHING.  339 

An  elephant's  grinder  averages  seven  pounds  in 
weight,  and  is  not  worth  more  than  from  a  penny  to 
three  halfpence  a  pound  ;  nevertheless,  they  are  now 
brought  to  Galle  in  large  quantities  to  be  made  into 
knife-handles  and  sundry  ornaments,  to  tempt  the 
passengers  of  the  various  steamers.  If  the  native 
takes  this  trouble  for  so  small  a  recompense,  there  is 
every  reason  to  suppose  that  the  hides  now  wasted, 
would  be  brought  into  market  and  form  a  valuable 
export,  were  salt  at  such  a  rate  as  would  admit  of 
their  preparation. 

The  whole  of  the  southern  coast,  especially  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  salt  lakes,  abounds  with  fish. 
These  are  at  present  nearly  undisturbed ;  but  I  have 
little  doubt  that  a  reduction  in  the  price  of  salt  would 
soon  call  forth  the  energies  of  the  Moormen,  who 
would  establish  fisheries  in  the  immediate  neighbour- 
hood. This  would  be  of  great  importance  to  the 
interior  of  the  country,  as  a  road  has  been  made 
within  the  last  few  years  direct  from  this  locality  to 
Badulla,  distant  about  eighty  miles,  and  situated  in 
the  very  heart  of  the  most  populous  district  of  Ceylon. 
This  road,  which  forms  a  direct  line  of  communication 
from  the  port  of  Hambantotte  to  Newera  EUia,  is 
now  much  used  for  the  transport  of  coffee  from  the 
Badulla  estates,  to  which  a  cheap  supply  of  salt  and 
fish  would  be  a  great  desideratum. 

The  native  is  a  clever  fellow  at  fishing.     Every 


340  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

little  boy  of  ten  years  old  along  the  coast  is  an  adept 
in  throwing  the  casting-net ;  and  I  have  often  watched 
with  amusement  the  scientific  manner  in  which  some 
of  these  little  fellows  handle  a  fine  fish  on  a  single 
line  ;  Isaac  Walton  would  have  been  proud  of  such 
pupils. 

There  is  nothing  like  necessity  for  sharpening  a 
man's  intellect,  and  the  natives  of  the  coast  being 
a  class  of  ichthyophagi,  it  may  be  imagined  that 
they  excel  in  all  methods  of  capturing  their  favourite 
food. 

The  sea,  rivers,  and  in  fact  every  pool,  teem  with 
fish  of  excellent  quality,  from  the  smallest  to  the 
largest  kind,  not  forgetting  the  most  delicious  prawns 
and  crabs.  Turtle  likewise  abound,  and  are  to  be 
caught  in  great  numbers  in  their  season. 

Notwithstanding  the  immense  amount  of  fish  in 
the  various  rivers,  there  is  no  idea  of  fishing  as  a 
sport  among  the  European  population  of  Ceylon. 
This  I  cannot  account  for,  unless  from  the  fear  of 
fever,  which  might  be  caught  with  more  certainty 
than  fish  by  standing  up  to  the  knees  in  water  under 
a  burning  sun.  Nevertheless,  I  have  indulged  in  this 
every  now  and  then,  when  out  on  a  jungle  trip, 
although  I  have  never  started  from  home  with  such 
an  intention.  Seeing  some  fine  big  fellows  swim- 
ming about  in  a  deep  hole  is  a  great  temptation, 
especially    when    you    know    they    are    grey  mullet, 


CHAP.  XII  PRIMITIVE    TACKLE.  341 

and  the  chef  de  cuisine  is  short  of  the  wherewithal 
for  dinner. 

This  is  not  unfrequently  the  case  during  a  jungle 
trip  ;  and  the  tent  being  pitched  in  the  shade  of  a 
noble  forest  on  the  steep  banks  of  a  broad  river, 
thoughts  of  fishing  naturally  intrude  themselves. 

The  rivers  in  the  dry  season  are  so  exhausted 
that  a  simple  bed  of  broad  dry  sand  remains,  while  a 
small  stream  winds  along  the  bottom  merely  a  few 
inches  deep,  now  no  more  than  a  few  feet  in  width, 
then  rippling  over  a  few  oppo.sing  rocks ;  while  the 
natural  bed  extends  its  dry  sand  for  many  yards  on 
either  side.  At  every  bend  in  the  river  there  is  of 
course  a  deep  hole  close  to  the  bank  ;  these  holes 
remain  full  of  water,  as  the  little  stream  continues  to 
flow  through  them  ;  and  the  water  in  its  entrance  and 
exit  being  too  shallow  for  a  large  fish,  all  the  finny 
monsters  of  the  river  are  compelled  to  imprison  them- 
selves in  the  depths.  Here  the  crocodiles  have  fine 
feeding,  as  they  live  in  the  same  place. 

With  a  good  rod  and  tackle  there  would  be  capital 
sport  in  these  places,  as  some  of  the  fish  run  ten  and 
twelve  pounds  weight ;  but  I  have  never  been  well 
provided,  and  while  staring  at  the  coveted  fish  from 
the  bank,  I  have  had  no  means  of  catching  them, 
except  by  the  most  primitive  methods. 

Then  I  have  cut  a  stick  for  a  rod,  and  made  a  line 
with  some  hairs  from  my  horse's  tail,  with  a  pin  for  a 


342  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap,  xii 

hook,  baited  with  a  shrimp,  and  the  fishing  has  com- 
menced. 

Fish  and  fruit  are  the  most  enjoyable  articles  of 
food  in  a  tropical  country,  and  in  the  former  Ceylon 
is  rich.  The  seir  fish  is  little  inferior  to  salmon  ;  and 
were  the  flesh  a  similar  colour,  it  might  sometimes 
form  a  substitute.  Soles  and  whiting  remind  us  of 
Old  England  ;  but  a  host  of  bright  red.  blue,  green, 
yellow,  and  extraordinary  looking  creatures  in  the 
same  net,  dispel  all  ideas  of  English  fishing. 

There  are  oysters  in  Ceylon  ;  but  here,  alas !  is 
a  sad  falling  off  in  the  comparison  with  our  well- 
remembered  '  native.'  Instead  of  the  neat  little  shell 
of  the  English  oyster,  the  Ceylon  species  is  a  shape- 
less, twisted,  knotty,  rocky-looking  creature,  such  as  a 
legitimate  oyster  would  be  in  a  fit  of  the  cramp  or 
convulsions.  In  fact,  there  is  no  vestige  of  the  true 
breed  about  it,  and  the  want  of  flavour  equals  its 
miserable  exterior. 

There  are  few  positions  more  tantalizing  to  a 
hungry  man  than  being  surrounded  by  oysters,  without 
a  knife.  An  oyster  is  an  obstinate  and  perverse  wretch 
that  will  not  accommodate  itself  to  man's  appetite, 
and  it  requires  a  forcible  attack  to  vanquish  it  ;  so 
that  every  one  eaten  is  an  individual  murder  in  which 
the  cold  steel  has  been  plunged  into  its  vitals,  and  the 
animal  finds  itself  swallowed  before  it  has  quite  made 
up  its  mind  that  it  has  been  opened.     But  take  away 


CHAP.  XII.  OYSTER  AND  PENKNIVES.  343 

the  knife,  and  see  how  vain  is  the  attempt  to  force  the 
stronghold.  How  utterly  useless  is  the  oyster ;  you 
may  turn  it  over  and  over,  and  look  for  a  weak  place, 
but  there  is  no  admittance ;  you  may  knock  it  with 
a  stone,  but  the  knock  will  be  unanswered.  How 
would  you  open  such  a  creature  without  a  knife } 

This  was  one  of  the  many  things  that  had  never 
occurred  to  me,  until  one  day,  when  I  found  myself 
with  some  three  or  four  friends  and  a  few  boatmen  on 
a  little  island,  or  rather  a  rock,  about  a  mile  from  the 
shore.  This  rock  was  rich  in  the  spasmodic  kind  of 
oyster,  large  detached  masses  of  which  lay  just  be- 
neath the  water,  in  lumps  of  some  hundredweight 
each,  which  had  been  formed  by  the  oysters  cluster- 
ing and  adhering  together.  It  so  happened  that  oui 
party  were  unanimous  in  the  love  of  these  creatures, 
and  we  accordingly  exerted  ourselves  to  roll  out  of 
the  water  a  large  mass  ;  which,  having  accomplished, 
we  discovered,  to  our  dismay,  that  nothing  but  one 
penknife  was  possessed  among  us.  This  we  knew  was 
a  useless  weapon  against  such  armour ;  however,  in 
our  endeavours  to  perform  impossibilities,  we  tickled 
the  oyster  and  broke  the  knife.  After  gazing  for 
some  time  in  blank  despair  at  our  useless  prize,  a 
bright  thought  struck  one  of  the  party,  and  drawing 
his  ramrod,  he  began  to  screw  it  into  the  weakest  part 
of  an  oyster ;  this,  however,  was  proof,  and  the  ram- 
rod broke. 

A  A 


344  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

Stupid  enough  it  may  appear,  but  it  was  full  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  before  any  of  us  thought  of  a  suc- 
cessful plan  of  attack.  I  noticed  a  lot  of  drift  timber 
scattered  upon  the  island,  and  then  the  right  idea  was 
hit.  We  gathered  the  wood  which  was  bleached  and 
dry,  and  we  piled  it  a  few  feet  to  windward  of  the 
mass  of  oysters.  Striking  a  light  with  a  cap  and 
some  powder,  we  lit  the  pile.  It  blazed,  and  the  wind 
blew  the  heat  strong  upon  the  oysters  which  accord- 
ingly began  to  squeak  and  hiss,  until  one  by  one  they 
gave  up  the  ghost,  and,  opening  their  shells,  exposed 
their  delightfully  roasted  bodies,  which  were  eaten 
forthwith. 

How  very  absurd  and  uninteresting  this  is!  but 
nevertheless  it  is  one  of  those  trifling  incidents  which 
sharpen  the  imagination  when  you  depend  upon  your 
own  resources. 

It  is  astonishing  how  perfectly  helpless  some 
people  are,  if  taken  from  the  artificial  existence  of 
every-day  life  and  thrown  entirely  upon  themselves. 
One  man  would  be  in  superlative  misery,  while 
another  would  enjoy  the  responsibility,  and  delight  in 
the  fertility  of  his  own  invention  in  accommodating 
himself  to  circumstances.  A  person  can  scarcely 
credit  the  unfortunate  number  of  articles  necessary 
for  his  daily  and  nightly  comfort,  until  he  is  deprived 
of  them.  To  realize  this,  lose  yourself,  wander  off  a 
great  distance  from  everywhere,  and  be  benighted  in 


CHAP.  xii.     A   NIGHT  BIVOUAC  FOR  A   NOVICE.  345 

a  wild  country,  with  nothing  but  your  rifle  and 
hunting-knife.  You  will  then  find  yourself  dinnerless, 
supperless,  houseless,  comfortless,  sleepless,  cold,  and 
miserable,  if  you  do  not  know  how  to  manage  for 
yourself.  You  will  miss  your  dinner  sadly,  if  you  are 
not  accustomed  to  fast  for  twenty-four  hours.  You 
will  also  miss  your  bed  decidedly,  and  your  tooth- 
brush in  the  morning  ;  but  if,  on  the  other  hand,  you 
are  of  the  right  stamp,  it  is  astonishing  how  lightly 
these  little  troubles  will  sit  on  you,  and  how  com- 
fortable you  will  make  yourself  under  the  circum- 
stances. 

The  first  thing  you  will  consider  is  the  house. 
The  architectural  style  will  of  course  depend  upon 
the  locality.  If  the  ground  is  rocky  and  hilly,  be  sure 
to  make  a-  steep  pitch  in  the  bank  or  the  side  of  a 
rock  form  a  wall,  to  leeward  of  which  you  will  lie 
when  your  mansion  is  completed  by  a  few  sticks 
simply  inclined  from  the  rock  and  covered  with  grass. 
If  the  country  is  flat,  you  must  cut  four  forked  sticks, 
and  erect  a  villa  after  this  fashion  in  skeleton  work, 
which  you  then  cover  with  grass. 


346  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  m. 

You  will  then  strew  the  floor  with  grass  or  small 
boughs,  in  lieu  of  a  feather  bed,  and  tie  up  a  bundle 
of  the  same  material  into  a  sheaf,  which  will  form  a 
capital  pillow.  If  grass  and  sticks  are  at  hand,  this 
will  be  completed  thus  far  in  an  hour. 

Then  comes  the  operation  of  fire-making,  which  is 
by  no  means  easy  ;  and  as  warmth  comes  next  to 
food,  and  a  blaze  both  scares  wild  animals  and  looks 
cheerful,  I  advise  some  attention  to  be  paid  to  the  fire. 
There  must  be  a  good  collection  of  old  fallen  logs,  if 
possible,  together  with  some  green  wood  to  prevent 
too  rapid  a  consumption  of  fuel.  But  the  fire  is  not 
yet  made. 

First  tear  off  a  bit  of  your  shirt  and  rub  it  with 
moistened  gunpowder.  Wind  this  in  a  thick  roll 
round  your  ramrod  just  below  the  point  of  the  screw, 
with  the  rough  torn  edge  uppermost.  Into  these 
numerous  folds  sprinkle  a  pinch  of  gunpowder  ;  then 
put  a  cap  on  the  point  of  the  screw,  and  a  slight  tap 
with  your  hunting  knife  explodes  it  and  ignites  the 
linen. 

Now,  fire  in  its  birth  requires  nursing  like  a  young 
baby,  or  it  will  leave  you  in  the  lurch.  A  single  spark 
will  perhaps  burn  your  haystacks,  but  when  you  want 
a  fire,  it  seldom  will  burn,  out  of  sheer  obstinacy  ; 
therefore  take  a  wisp  of  dry  grass,  into  which,  push 
the  burning  linen,  and  give  it  a  rapid  circular  motion 
through  the  air ;  this  will  generally  set   it  in  a  blaze 


CHAF.    Xll. 


NO  DINNER,    BUT  A    GOOD  FIRE. 


347 


Then  pile  gently  upon  it  the  smallest  and  driest 
sticks,  increasing  their  size  as  the  fire  grows,  till  it  is 
all  right ;  and  you  will  sit  down  proudly  before  your 
own  fire,  thoroughly  confident  that  you  are  the  first 
person  that  ever  made  one  properly. 

There  is  some  comfort  in  that ;  and  having  ma- 
nufactured your  own  house  and  bed,  you  will  lie  down 
snugly  and  think  of  dinner,  till  you  fall  asleep,  and 
the  crowing  of  the  jungle  cocks  will  wake  you  in  the 
morning. 

The  happiest  hours  of  my  life  have  been  passed  in 
this  rural  solitude.  I  have  started  from  home  with 
nothing  but  a  couple  of  blankets  and  the  hounds,  and 
with  one  wrapped  around  me,  I  have  slept  beneath  a 
capital  tent  formed  of  the  other,  with  two  forked 
sticks  and  a  horizontal  pole  ; — the  ends  of  the  blanket 
being  secured  by  heavy  stones  thus — 


This  is  a  more  comfortable  berth  than  it  may  appear 
at  first  sight,  especially  if  one  end  is  stopped  up  with 
boughs.     The  ridge  pole  being  only  two  feet  and  a 


348  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xn. 

half  high,  renders  it  necessary  to  crawl  in  on  all-fours  ; 
but  this  lowness  of  ceiling  has  its  advantages  in  not 
catching  the  wind,  and  likewise  in  its  warmth.  A 
blanket  roof,  well  secured  and  tightly  strained,  will 
resist  rain  for  a  much  longer  period  than  a  common 
tent ;  but  in  thoroughly  wet  weather  any  woven  roof 
is  more  or  less  uncomfortable. 

I  recollect  a  certain  bivouac  in  the  Augora  patinas, 
for  a  few  days'  hunting,  when  I  was  suddenly  seized 
with  a  botanical  fit,  in  a  culinary  point  of  view,  and  I 
was  determined  to  make  the  jungle  subscribe  some- 
thing towards  the  dinner.  To  my  delight  I  discovered 
some  plants  which,  from  the  appearance  of  their 
leaves,  I  knew  were  a  species  of  wild  yam ;  they 
grew  in  a  ravine  on  the  swampy  soil  of  a  sluggish 
spring,  and  the  ground  being  loose,  I  soon  grubbed 
them  up  and  found  a  most  satisfactory  quantity  of 
yams  about  the  size  of  large  potatoes  ; — not  bad 
things  for  dinner.  Accordingly  they  were  soon  trans- 
ferred to  the  pot.  Elk  steaks,  and  an  Irish  stew,  the 
latter  to  be  made  of  elk  chops,  onions,  and  the  prized 
yams  ;  this  was  the  bill  of  fare  expected.  But,  miseri- 
cordia !  what  a  change  came  over  the  yams  when 
boiled  ;  they  turned  a  horrible  slate  colour,  and  looked 
like  imitations  of  their  former  selves  in  lead. 

Their  appearance  was  uncommonly  bad,  certainly. 
There  were  three  of  us  to  feed  upon  them,  viz. 
Palliser,  my  huntsman  Benton,  and  myself     No  one 


CHAP.  xn.       IVILD    YAMS  AND   CONSEQUENCES.  349 

wishing  to  be  first,  it  was  then,  I  confess,  that  the 
thought  just  crossed  my  mind  that  Benton  should 
make  the  experiment,  but,  repenting  at  the  same  mo- 
ment, I  punished  myself  by  eating  a  very  little  one 
on  the  spot.  Benton,  who  was  blessed  with  a  huge 
appetite,  picked  out  a  big  one.  Greedy  fellow  to 
choose  the  largest !  but,  nHmporte^  it  brought  its 
punishment. 

Palliser  and  I  having  eaten  carefully,  were  just 
beginning  to  feel  uncomfortable,  when  up  jumped 
Benton,  holding  his  throat  with  both  hands,  crying 
*  My  throat's  full  of  pins.     I'm  choked.* 

*  We  are  poisoned,  no  doubt  of  it,'  said  Palliser,  in 
his  turn.  *  I  am  choking  likewise.*  *  So  am  I.*  There 
we  were  all  three,  with  our  throats  in  an  extraordinary 
state  of  sudden  constriction  and  inflammation,  with  a 
burning  and  pricking  sensation,  in  addition  to  a  feeling 
of  swelling  and  stoppage  of  the  windpipe.  Having 
nothing  but  brandy  at  hand,  we  dosed  largely  in- 
stanter,  and  in  the  course  of  ten  minutes  we  found 
relief ;  but  Benton,  having  eaten  his  large  yam,  was 
the  last  to  recover. 

There  must  have  been  highly  poisonous  qualities  in 
this  root,  as  the  quantity  eaten  was  nothing  in  propor- 
tion to  the  effects  produced.  It  is  well  known  that 
many  roots  are  poisonous  when  raw  (especially  the 
manioc),  which  become  harmless  when  cooked,  as  the 
noxious  properties  consist  of  a  very  volatile  oil  which 


3SO  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

is  thrown  off  during  the  process  of  boiling.  These 
wild  yams  must  necessarily  be  still  worse  in  their  raw 
state  ;  and  it  struck  me,  after  their  effects  became 
known,  that  I  had  never  seen  them  grubbed  up  by  the 
wild  hogs ;  this  neglect  being  a  sure  proof  of  their 
unfitness  for  food. 

In  these  Augora  patinas  a  curious  duel  was  lately 
fought  by  a  pair  of  wild  bull  elephants,  both  of  whom 
were  the  rarcs  aves  of  Ceylon,  '  tuskers.'  These  two 
bulls  had  consorted  with  a  herd,  and  had  no  doubt 
quarrelled  about  the  possession  of  the  females.  They 
accordingly  fought  it  out  to  the  death,  as  a  large 
tusker  was  found  recently  killed,  with  his  body  bored 
in  many  directions  by  his  adversary's  tusks  ;  the  ground 
in  the  vicinity  being  trodden  down  with  elephant 
tracks  proved  the  obstinacy  of  the  fight. 

The  last  time  that  I  was  in  this  locality  poor  old 
Bluebeard  was  alive,  and  had  been  performing  feats  in 
elk-hunting  which  no  dog  could  surpass.  A  few  weeks 
later  and  he  ran  his  last  elk,  and  left  a  sad  blank  in  the 
pack. 

Good  and  bad  luck  generally  come  in  turn  ;  but 
when  the  latter  does  pay  a  visit,  it  falls  rather  heavily, 
especially  among  the  hounds.  In  the  same  year  I  lost 
nearly  the  whole  pack.  Seven  died  in  one  week  from 
an  attack  upon  the  brain,  appearing  in  a  form  fortu- 
nately unknown  in  England.     I  lost  no  less  than  foui 


CHAP.  xii.  A   HUNTING  HERMITAGE.  351 

of  the  best  hounds  by  leopards,  in  addition  to  a  fear- 
ful amount  of  casualties  from  other  causes. 

Shortly  after  the  appearance  of  the  epidemic 
alluded  to,  I  took  the  hounds  to  the  Totapella  Plains 
for  a  fortnight,  for  change  of  air,  while  their  kennel 
was  purified  and  re-whitewashed. 

In  these  Totapella  Plains  I  had  a  fixed  encamp- 
ment, which,  being  within  nine  miles  of  my  house,  I 
could  visit  at  any  time  with  the  hounds,  without  the 
slightest  preparation.  There  were  an  immense  num- 
ber of  elk  in  this  part  of  the  country ;  in  fact  this  was 
a  great  drawback  to  the  hunting,  as  two  or  more  were 
constantly  on  foot  at  the  same  time,  which  divided  the 
hounds  and  scattered  them  in  all  directions.  This 
made  hard  work  of  the  sport,  as  this  locality  is  nothing 
but  a  series  of  ups  and  downs.  The  plains,  as  they 
are  termed,  are  composed  of  some  hundred  grassy 
hills,  of  about  a  hundred  feet  elevation  above  the 
river ;  these  rise  like  half  oranges  in  every  direction, 
while  a  high  chain  of  precipitous  mountains  walls  in 
one  side  of  the  view.  Forest-covered  hills  abound  in 
the  centre  and  around  the  skirts  of  the  plains,  while  a 
deep  river  winds  in  a  circuitous  route  between  the 
grassy  hills. 

My  encampment  was  well  chosen  in  this  romantic 
spot.  It  was  a  place  where  you  might  live  all  your 
life  without  seeing  a  soul,  except  a  wandering  bee- 


352  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

hunter,  or  a  native  sportsman  who  had  ventured  up 
from  the  low  country  to  shoot  an  elk. 

Surrounded  on  all  sides  but  one  with  steep  hills, 
my  hunting  settlement  lay  snugly  protected  from  the 
wind  in  a  little  valley.  A  small  jungle  about  a  hun- 
dred yards  square  grew  at  the  base  of  one  of  these 
grassy  hills,  in  which,  having  cleared  the  underwood 
for  about  forty  yards  I  left  the  larger  trees  standing, 
and  erected  my  huts  under  their  shelter  at  the  exact 
base  of  the  knoll.  This  steep  rise  broke  off  into  an 
abrupt  cliff  about  sixty  yards  from  my  tent,  against 
which  the  river  had  waged  constant  war,  and,  turning 
in  an  endless  vortex,  had  worn  a  deep  hole,  before  it 
shot  off  in  a  rapid  torrent  from  the  angle,  dashing 
angrily  over  the  rocky  masses  which  had  fallen  from 
the  overhanging  cliff,  and  coming  to  a  sudden  rest  in 
a  broad  deep  pool  within  twenty  yards  of  the  tent 
door. 

This  was  a  delicious  spot.  Being  snugly  hidden 
in  the  jungle,  there  was  no  sign  of  my  encampment 
from  the  plain,  except  the  curling  blue  smoke  which 
rose  from  the  little  hollow.  A  plot  of  grass  of  some 
two  acres  formed  the  bottom  of  the  valley  before  my 
habitation,  at  the  extremity  of  which  the  river  flowed, 
backed  on  the  opposite  side  by  an  abrupt  hill  covered 
with  forest  and  jungle. 

This  being  a  chilly  part  of  Ceylon,  I  had  thatched 
the  walls  of  my  tent,  and  made  a  good  gridiron  bed- 


CHAP.  XII.         'BLUEBEARjyS'   LAST   HUNT,  353 

stead,  to  keep  me  from  the  damp  ground,  by  means 
of  forked  upright  sticks,  two  horizontal  bars,  and 
numerous  cross  pieces.  This  was  covered  with  six 
inches  thickness  of  grass,  strapped  down  with  the 
bark  of  a  fibrous  shrub.  My  table  and  bench  were 
formed  in  the  same  manner,  being  of  course  fixtures, 
but  most  substantial.  The  kitchen,  huts  for  attendants, 
and  kennel,  were  close  adjoining.  I  could  have  lived 
there  all  my  life  in  fine  weather.  I  wish  I  was  there 
now  with  all  my  heart.  However,  I  had  sufficient  bad 
luck  on  my  last  visit  to  have  disgusted  most  people. 
Poor  Matchless,  who  was  as  good  as  her  name  implied, 
died  of  inflammation  of  the  lungs  ;  and  I  started  one 
morning  in  very  low  spirits  at  her  loss,  hoping  to  cheer 
myself  up  by  a  good  hunt. 

It  was  not  long  before  old  Bluebeard's  opening 
note  was  heard  high  upon  the  hill-tops ;  but  at  the 
same  time  a  portion  of  the  pack  had  found  another 
elk,  which,  taking  an  opposite  direction,  of  course 
divided  them.  Being  determined  to  stick  to  Bluebeard 
to  the  last,  I  made  straight  through  the  jungle  towards 
the  point  at  which  I  had  heard  a  portion  of  the  pack 
join  him,  intending  to  get  upon  the  track  and  follow 
up.  This  I  soon  did  ;  and  after  running  for  some  time 
through  the  jungle,  which,  being  young  'nillho,'  was 
unmistakably  crushed  by  the  elk  and  hounds,  I  came 
to  a  capital  though  newly  made  path,  as  a  single 
elephant,   having  been  disturbed   by  the  cry  of  the 


354  EIGHT  YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

hounds,  had  started  off  at  full  speed  ;  and  the  elk  and 
hounds,  naturally  choosing  the  easiest  route  through 
the  jungle,  had  kept  upon  his  track.  This  I  was 
certain  of,  as  the  elk's  print  sunk  deep  in  that  of  the 
elephant,  whose  dung  lying  upon  the  spot  was  perfectly 
hot. 

I  fully  expected  that  the  hounds  would  bring 
the  elephant  to  bay,  which  is  never  pleasant 
when  you  are  without  a  gun  ;  however  they  did  not, 
but,  sticking  to  their  true  game,  they  went  straight 
away  towards  the  chain  of  mountains  at  the  end  of 
the  plain.  The  river  in  making  its  exit  is  checked  by 
abrupt  precipices,  and  accordingly  makes  an  angle, 
and  then  descends  through  a  ravine  towards  the  low 
country. 

I  felt  sure,  from  the  nature  of  the  ground  and  the 
direction  of  the  run,  that  the  elk  would  come  to  bay 
in  this  ravine  ;  and  after  half  an  hour's  run  I  was 
delighted,  on  arriving  on  the  hill  above,  to  hear  the 
bay  of  the  hounds  in  the  river  far  below. 

The  jungle  was  thick  and  tangled,  but  it  did  not 
take  long  to  force  my  way  down  the  steep  mountain 
side,  and  I  neared  the  spot  and  heard  the  splashing  in 
the  river,  as  the  elk,  followed  by  the  hounds,  dashed 
across  just  before  I  came  in  view.  He  had  broken  his 
bay  ;  and  presently  I  again  heard  the  chorus  of  voices, 
as  he  once  more  came  to  a  stand  a  few  hundred  paces 
down  the  river. 


CHAP.  XII.  THE  LEOPARD.  355 

The  bamboo  was  so  thick  that  I  could  hardly 
break  my  way  through  it ;  and  I  was  crashing  along 
towards  the  spot,  when  suddenly  the  bay  ceased,  and 
shortly  after  some  of  the  hounds  came  hurrying  up 
to  me  regularly  scared.  Lena,  who  seldom  showed  a 
symptom  of  fear,  dashed  up  to  me  in  a  state  of  great 
excitement,  with  the  deep  scores  of  a  leopard's  claws 
on  her  hind-quarters.  Only  two  couple  of  the  hounds 
followed  on  the  elk's  track  ;  the  rest  were  nowhere. 

The  elk  had  doubled  back  and  I  saw  old  Blue- 
beard leading  upon  the  scent  up  the  bank  of  the  river, 
followed  by  three  other  hounds. 

The  surest,  although  the  hardest  work,  was  to  get 
on  the  track  and  follow  up  through  the  jungle.  This 
I  accordingly  did  for  about  a  mile,  at  which  distance 
I  arrived  at  a  small  swampy  plain  in  the  centre  of  the 
jungle.  Here,  to  my  surprise,  I  saw  old  Bluebeard 
sitting  up  and  looking  faint,  covered  with  blood,  with 
no  other  dog  within  view.  The  truth  was  soon  known, 
upon  examination.  No  less  than  five  holes  were  cut 
in  his  throat  by  a  leopard's  claws  ;  and  by  the  violent 
manner  in  which  the  poor  dog  strained  and  choked,  I 
felt  sure  that  the  windpipe  was  injured.  There  was 
no  doubt  that  he  had  received  the  stroke  at  the  same 
time  that  Lena  was  wounded  beneath  the  rocky 
mountain,  when  the  elk  was  at  bay  ;  and  nevertheless 
the  staunch  old  dog  had  persevered  in  the  chase  till 
the  difficulty  of  breathing  brought  him  to  a  standstill. 


350  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xii. 

I  bathed  the  wounds,  but  I  knew  it  was  his  last  day, 
poor  old  fellow ! 

I  sounded  the  bugle  for  a  few  minutes,  and,  having 
collected  some  of  the  scattered  pack,  I  returned  to  the 
tent,  leading  the  wounded  dog,  whose  breathing 
rapidly  became  more  difficult.  I  lost  no  time  in 
fomenting  and  poulticing  the  part,  but  the  swelling 
had  commenced  to  such  an  extent  that  there  was  little 
hope  of  recovery. 

This  was  a  dark  day  for  the  pack.  Benton  re- 
turned in  the  afternoon  from  a  search  for  the  missing 
hounds,  and,  as  he  descended  the  steep  hillside  on 
approaching  the  tent,  I  saw  that  he  and  a  native  were 
carrying  something  slung  upon  a  pole.  At  first  I 
thought  it  was  an  elk's  head,  which  the  missing  hounds 
might  have  run  to  bay  ;  but  on  his  arrival  the  worst 
was  soon  known. 

It  was  Leopold,  one  of  my  best  dogs.  He  was 
all  but  dead,  with  hopeless  wounds  in  his  throat  and 
belly.  He  had  been  struck  by  a  leopard  within  a  few 
yards  of  Benton's  side,  and,  with  his  usual  pluck,  the 
dog  turned  upon  the  leopard,  in  spite  of  his  wounds  ; 
when  the  cowardly  brute,  seeing  the  man,  turned  and 
fled. 

That  night  Leopold  died.  The  next  morning 
Bluebeard  was  so  bad,  that  I  returned  home  with  him 
slung  in  a  litter  between  two  men.  Poor  fellow,  he 
never  lived  to  reach  his  comfortable  kennel,  but  died 


CHAP.  xii.  LEOPARD  SHOT.  357 

in  the  litter  within  a  mile  of  home.  I  had  him  buried 
by  the  side  of  old  Smut ;  there  are  no  truer  dogs  on 
earth. 

A  very  few  weeks  after  Bluebeard's  death,  I  got  a 
taste  of  revenge  out  of  one  of  the  race. 

Palliser  and  I  were  out  shooting,  and  we  found  a 
single  bull  elephant  asleep  in  the  dry  bed  of  a  stream  ; 
we  were  stealing  quietly  up  to  him,  when  his  guardian 
spirit  whispered  something  in  his  ear,  and  up  he 
jumped.  However,  we  polished  him  off,  and  having 
re-loaded,  we  passed  on. 

The  country  consisted  of  low  thorny  jungle  and 
small  sandy  plains  of  short  turf,  and  we  v/ere  just 
entering  one  of  these  open  spots  within  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  of  the  dead  elephant,  when  we  observed  a 
splendid  leopard  crouching  at  the  far  end  of  the  glade. 
He  was  about  ninety  paces  from  us,  lying  broadside 
on,  with  his  head  turned  to  the  opposite  direction, 
evidently  looking  out  for  game.  His  crest  was 
bristled  up  with  excitement,  and  he  formed  a  perfect 
picture  of  beauty  both  in  colour  and  attitude. 

Halting  our  gun-bearers,  we  stalked  him  to  within 
sixty  yards  :  he  looked  quickly  round,  and  his  large 
hazel  eyes  shone  full  upon  us,  as  the  two  rifles  made 
one  report,  and  his  white  belly  lay  stretched  upon  the 
ground. 

They  were  both  clean  shots :  Palliser  had  aimed 
at  his  head,  and  had  cut  off  one  ear  and  laid  the  skin 


358  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap   xii 

open  at  the  back  of  the  neck.  My  ball  had  smashed 
both  shoulders,  but  he  was  not  fairly  extinct.  We 
therefore  strangled  him  with  my  neck  tie,  as  I  did  not 
wish  to  spoil  his  hide  by  any  further  wound.  This 
was  a  pleasing  sacrifice  to  the  'manes'  of  old 
Bluebeard. 

F..  Palliser  had  at  one  time  the  luck  to  have  a 
fair  turn  up  with  a  leopard  with  the  dogs  and  hunting- 
knife.  At  that  time  he  kept  a  pack  at  Dimboola, 
about  nine  miles  from  my  house.  Old  Bluebeard 
belonged  to  him,  and  he  had  a  fine  dog  named 
'  Pirate,'  who  was  the  heaviest  and  best  of  his  seizers. 

He  was  out  hunting  with  two  or  three  friends, 
when  suddenly  a  leopard  sprang  from  the  jungle  at 
one  of  the  smaller  hounds  as  they  were  passing 
quietly  along  a  forest  path.  Halloaing  the  pack  on 
upon  the  instant,  every  dog  gave  chase,  and  a  short 
run  brought  him  to  bay  in  the  usual  place  of  refuge, 
the  boughs  of  a  tree. 

However,  it  so  happened  that  there  was  a  good 
supply  of  large  sharp  stones  upon  the  soil,  and  with 
these  the  whole  party  kept  up  a  spirited  bombard- 
ment, until  at  length  one  lucky  shot  hit  him  on  the 
head,  and  at  the  same  moment  he  fell  or  jumped  into 
the  middle  of  the  pack.  Here  Pirate  came  to  the 
front  in  grand  style  and  collared  him,  while  the  whole 
pack  backed  him  up  without  an  exception. 

There  was  a  glorious  struggle  of   course,  which 


CHAK  XI 1.  LEOPARD   CHASE.  359 

was  terminated  by  the  long  arm  of  our  friend  Palliser. 
who  slipped  the  hunting-knife  into  him  and  became 
a  winner.  This  is  the  only  instance  that  I  know 
of  a  leopard  being  run  into  and  killed  with  hounds 
and  a  knife. 


BB 


36o  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CE  YLON.         chaf.  xin. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Wild  Denizens  of  Forest  and  Lake — Destroyers  of  Reptiles — The 
Tree  Duck — The  Mysteries  of  Night  in  the  Forest — The  Devil  Bird 
—  The  Iguanodon  in  Miniature — Outrigger  Canoes— The  last  Glimpse 
of  Ceylon— A  Glance  at  Old  Times. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  objects  to  a  tourist  in 
Ceylon  is  a  secluded  lake  or  tank  in  those  jungle 
districts  which  are  seldom  disturbed  by  the  white 
man.  There  is  something  peculiarly  striking  in  the 
wonderful  amount  of  living  creatures  which  exist 
upon  the  productions  of  the  water.  Birds  of  infinite 
variety  and  countless  numbers, — fish  in  myriads,— 
reptiles  and  crocodiles, — animals  that  feed  upon  the 
luxuriant  vegetation  of  the  shores, — insects  which 
sparkle  in  the  sunshine  in  every  gaudy  hue ; — all 
these  congregate  in  the  neighbourhood  of  these 
remote  solitudes,  and  people  the  lakes  with  an  incal- 
culable host  of  living  beings. 

In  such  a  scene  there  is  scope  for  much  delightful 
study  of  the  habits  and  natures  of  wild  animals, 
where  they  can  be  seen  enjoying  their  freedom 
unrestrained  by  the  fear  of  man. 


CHAP.  xiii.    WILD  DENIZENS  OF  FOREST  AND  LAKE.     361 

Often  have  I  passed  a  quiet  hour  on  a  calm 
evening  when  the  sun  has  sunk  low  on  the  horizon, 
and  the  cool  breeze  has  stolen  across  the  water 
refreshing  all  an''mal  life.  Here,  concealed  beneath 
the  shade  of  some  large  tree,  I  have  watched  the 
masses  of  living  things  quite  unconscious  of  such 
scrutiny.  In  one  spot,  the  tiny  squirrel  nibbling  the 
buds  on  a  giant  limb  of  the  tree  above  me,  while  on 
the  opposite  shore  a  majestic  bull  elephant  has  com- 
menced his  evening  bath,  showering  the  water  above 
his  head  and  trumpeting  his  loud  call  to  the  distant 
herd.  Far  away  in  the  dense  jungles  the  ringing 
sound  is  heard,  as  the  answering  females  return  the 
salute,  and  slowly  approach  the  place  of  rendezvous. 
One  by  one  their  dark  forms  emerge  from  the  thorny 
coverts  and  loom  large  upon  the  green  but  distant 
shores ;  they  increase  their  pace  when  they  view  the 
coveted  water,  and  belly  deep  enjoy  their  evening 
draught. 

The  graceful  axis  in  dense  herds  quit  the  screen- 
ing jungle,  and  also  seek  the  plain.  The  short  shrill 
barks  of  answering  bucks  sound  clearly  across  the 
surface  of  the  lake,  and  indistinct  specks  begin  to 
appear  on  the  edge  of  the  more  distant  forests.  Now 
black  patches  are  dotted  about  the  plain  ;  now 
larger  objects,  some  single  and  some  in  herds,  make 
towards  the  water.  The  telescope  distinguishes  the 
vast  herds   of  hogs,    busy    in   upturning   the  soil  in 

B  B  2 


362  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.         chap.  xm. 

search  of  roots,  and  the  ungainly  buffaloes,  some  in 
herds,  and  others  single  bulls,  all  gathering  at  the 
hour  of  sunset  at  the  drinking  place.  Peacocks 
spread  their  gaudy  plumage  to  the  cool  evening  air  as 
they  strut  over  the  green  plain ;  the  giant  crane 
stands  statue-like  among  the  shallows  ;  the  pelican 
floats  like  a  ball  of  snow  upon  the  dark  water ;  and 
ducks  and  waterfowl  of  all  kinds  splash,  dive  and 
scream  in  a  confused  noise,  the  volume  of  which 
explains  their  countless  numbers. 

Foremost  among  the  waterfowl  for  beauty  is  the 
water-pheasant.  He  is  generally  seen  standing  upon 
the  broad  leaf  of  a  lotus  pecking  at  the  ripe  seeds,  and 
continually  uttering  his  plaintive  cry,  like  the  very 
distant  note  of  a  hound.  This  bird  is  most  beautifully 
formed,  and  the  peculiarity  of  colour  is  well  adapted 
to  his  shape.  He  is  something  like  a  cock  pheasant 
in  build  and  mode  of  carriage,  but  does  not  exceed 
the  size  of  a  pigeon.  His  colour  is  white,  with  a  fine 
brown  tinsel  glittering  head  and  long  tail ;  the  wings 
of  the  cock  bird  are  likewise  ornamented  with  similar 
brown  tinsel  feathers.  These  birds  are  delicious 
eating,  but  I  seldom  fire  at  them,  as  they  are  generally 
among  the  lotus  plants  in  such  deep  water  that  I  dare 
not  venture  to  recover  them  on  account  of  crocodiles. 
The  lotus  seeds,  which  they  devour  greedily,  are  a 
very  good  substitute  for  filberts,  and  are  slightly 
narcotic. 


CHAP.  XI 11.  DESTROYERS   OF  REPTILES.  363 

The  endless  variety  of  the  crane  is  very  in- 
teresting upon  these  lonely  shores.  From  the  giant 
crane,  who  stands  nearly  six  feet  high,  down  to  the 
smallest  species  of  paddy  bird,  there  is  a  numerous 
gradation.  Among  these  the  gaunt  adjutant  stands 
conspicuous  as  he  stalks  with  measured  steps  through 
the  high  rushes,  now  plunging  his  immense  bill  into 
the  tangled  sedges,  then  triumphantly  throwing  back 
his  head  with  a  large  snake  writhing  helplessly  in  his 
horny  beak.  Open  fly  the  shear-like  hinges  of  his 
bill — one  or  two  sharp  jerks,  and  down  goes  one  half 
of  an  incredibly  large  snake!  another  jerk,  and  a 
convulsive  struggle  of  the  snake,  one  more  jerk  ! — 
snap,  snap  goes  the  bill,  and  the  snake  has  disap- 
peared. The  adjutant  again  stalks  quietly  on,  as 
though  nothing  had  happened.  Down  goes  his  bill 
presently  with  a  sudden  start,  and  again  his  head  is 
thrown  back  ;  but  this  time  it  is  the  work  of  a 
moment,  as  it  is  only  an  iguana,  which  not  being 
above  eighteen  inches  long,  is  easy  swallowing. 

A  great  number  of  the  crane  species  are  destroyers 
of  snakes,  which  in  a  country  so  infested  with  vermin 
as  Ceylon,  renders  them  especially  valuable.  Pea- 
cocks likewise  wage  perpetual  war  with  all  kinds  of 
reptiles,  and  nature  has  wisely  arranged  that  where 
these  nuisances  most  abound,  there  is  a  corresponding 
provision  for  their  destruction. 

Snipes   of  course   are   numerous  in  their  season 


364  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xiii. 

around  the  margin  of  the  lakes ;  but  the  most 
delicious  birds  for  the  table  are  the  teal  and  ducks, 
of  which  there  are  four  varieties.  The  largest  duck 
is  nearly  the  size  of  a  wild  goose,  and  has  a  red  fatty- 
protuberance  about  the  beak  very  similar  to  a  mus- 
covy.  The  teal  are  the  fattest  and  most  delicious 
birds  that  I  have  ever  tasted.  Cooked  in  Soyer's 
magic  stove,  with  a  little  butter,  cayenne  pepper, 
a  squeeze  of  lime  juice,  a  pinch  of  salt,  and  a  spoon- 
ful of  Lea  and  Perrins*  Worcester  sauce,  (which  by 
the  by,  is  the  best  in  the  world  for  a  hot  climate),  and 
there  is  no  bird  like  a  Ceylon  teal.  They  are  very 
numerous,  and  I  have  seen  them  in  flocks  of  some 
thousands  on  the  salt-water  lakes  on  the  eastern 
coast,  where  they  are  seldom  or  never  disturbed. 
Nevertheless  they  are  tolerably  wary,  which  of  course 
increases  the  sport  of  shooting  them.  I  have  often 
thought  what  a  paradise  these  lakes  would  have 
made  for  the  veteran  Colonel  Hawker,  with  his 
punt  gun.  He  might  have  paddled  about  and  blazed 
away  to  his  heart's  content. 

There  is  one  kind  of  duck  that  would  un- 
doubtedly have  astonished  him,  and  which  would 
have  slightly  bothered  the  punt  gun  for  an  elevation  : 
this  is  the  tree  duck,  which  flies  about  and  perches  in 
the  branches  of  the  lofty  trees  like  any  nightingale. 
This  has  an  absurd  efiect,  as  a  duck  looks  entirely 
out   of  place    in    such    a   situation.     I    have   seen    a 


CHAP.  XIII.  THE    TREE  DUCK.  365 

whole  cluster  of  them  sitting  on  one  branch  ;  when  I 
first  observed  them  I  killed  three  at  one  shot  to  make 
it  a  matter  of  certainty. 

It  is  a  handsome  light  brown  bird  about  the  size 
of  an  English  widgeon,  but  there  is  no  peculiar 
formation  in  the  feet  to  enable  them  to  cling  to  a 
bough ;  they  are  bond  fide  ducks  with  the  common 
flat  web  foot. 

A  very  beautiful  species  of  bald-pated  coot, 
called  by  the  natives  keetoollee,  is  also  an  inhabitant 
of  the  lakes.  This  bird  is  of  a  bright  blue  colour, 
with  a  brilliant  pink  horny  head.  He  is  a  slow  flier, 
being  as  bulky  as  a  common  fowl,  and  short  in  his 
proportion  of  wing. 

It  is  impossible  to  convey  a  correct  idea  of  the 
number  and  variety  of  birds  in  these  localities,  and  I 
will  not  trouble  the  reader  by  a  description  that 
would  be  very  laborious  to  all  parties  ;  but  to  those 
who  delight  in  ornithological  studies,  there  is  a 
wide  field,  which  would  doubtless  supply  many  new 
specimens. 

I  know  nothing  more  interesting  than  the  ac- 
quaintance with  all  the  wild  denizens  of  mountain 
and  plain,  lake  and  river.  There  is  always  something 
fresh  to  learn,  something  new  to  admire,  in  the 
boundless  works  of  creation.  There  is  a  charm  in 
every  sound  in  nature  where  the  voice  of  man  is 
seldom    heard    to   disturb   her  works.      Every   note 


366  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON,  chap.  xiii. 

g-Iaddens  the  ear  in  the  stillness  of  solitude,  when 
night  has  overshadowed  the  earth,  and  all  sleep, 
but  the  wild  animals  of  the  forest.  Then  I  have 
often  risen  from  my  bed,  when  the  tortures  of  mos- 
quitos  have  banished  all  ideas  of  rest,  and  have 
silently  wandered  from  the  tent  to  listen  in  the 
solemn  quiet  of  night. 

I  have  seen  the  tired  coolies  stretched  round  the 
smouldering  fires  sound  asleep  after  their  day's  march, 
wrapped  in  their  white  cloths,  like  so  many  corpses 
laid  upon  the  ground.  The  flickering  logs  on  the 
great  pile  of  embers  crackling  and  sinking  as  they 
consume ;  now  falling  suddenly  and  throwing  up  a 
shower  of  sparks,  then  resting  again  in  a  dull  red 
heat,  casting  a  silvery  moonlike  glare  upon  the 
foliage  of  the  spreading  trees  above.  A  little  further ' 
on,  and  the  horses  standing  sleepily  at  their  tethers, 
their  heads  drooping  in  a  doze.  Beyond  them,  and 
all  is  darkness  and  wilderness.  No  human  dwelling 
or  being  beyond  the  little  encampment  I  have 
quitted  ; — the  dark  lake  reflecting  the.  stars  like 
a  mirror,  and  the  thin  crescent  moon  giving  a 
pale  and  indistinct  glare  which  just  makes  night 
visible. 

It  is  a  lovely  hour  then  to  wander  forth  and  wait 
for  wild  sounds.  All  is  still  except  the  tiny  hum  of 
the  mosquitos.  Then  the  low  chuckling  note  of  the 
night  hawk  sounds  soft  and  melancholy  in  the  dis- 


CHAP.  XIII.  MYSTERIES  OF  NIGHT  IN  THE  FOREST.    367 

tance ;  and  again  all  is  still,  save  the  heavy  and 
impatient  stamp  of  a  horse  as  the  mosquitos  irritate 
him  by  their  bites.  Quiet  again  for  a  few  seconds ; 
when  presently  the  loud  alarm  of  the  plover  rings 
over  the  plain— 'did  he  do  it' — the  bird's  harsh  cry 
speaks  these  words  as  plainly  as  a  human  being. 
This  alarm  is  a  certain  warning  that  some  beast  is 
stalking  abroad  which  has  disturbed  it  from  its  roost, 
but  presently  it  is  again  hushed. 

The  loud  hoarse  bark  of  an  elk  now  unexpectedly 
startles  the  ear ;  —  presently  it  is  replied  to  by 
another,  and  once  more  the  plover  shrieks  *  did  he  do 
it,'  and  a  peacock  waking  on  his  roost  gives  one  loud 
scream,  and  sleeps  again. 

The  heavy  and  regular  splashing  of  water  now 
marks  the  measured  tread  of  a  single  elephant  as  he 
roams  out  into  the  cooled  lake,  and  you  can  hear  the 
more  gentle  falling  of  water  as  he  spouts  a  shower 
over  his  body.  Hark !  at  the  deep  guttural  sigh  of 
pleasure  that  travels  over  the  lake  like  a  moan  of  the 
wind — what  giant  lungs  to  heave  such  a  breath  ;  but 
hark  again  ! — There  was  a  fine  trumpet  ! — as  clear  as 
any  bugle  note  blown  by  a  hundred  breaths  it  rang 
through  the  still  air. — How  beautiful ! — There,  the 
note  is  answered  ;  not  by  so  fine  a  tone,  but  by  dis- 
cordant screams  and  roars  from  the  opposite  side, 
and  the  louder  splashing  tells  that  the  herd  is  closing 
up   to   the  old  bull.     Like  distant   thunder  a   deep 


368  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.         chaf.  xiil 

roar  growls  across  the  lake,  as  the  old  monarch 
mutters  to  himself  in  angry  impatience. 

Then  the  long  tremulous  hoot  of  the  owl  disturbs 
the  night,  mingled  with  the  harsh  cries  of  flights  of 
water-fowl,  which,  doubtless,  the  elephants  have  dis- 
turbed while  bathing. 

Once  more  all  sounds  sink  to  rest  for  a  few 
minutes,  until  the  low  grating  roar  of  a  leopard  nearer 
home  warns  the  horses  of  their  danger  and  wakes  up 
the  sleeping  horsekeeper ;  he  piles  fresh  wood  upon 
the  fires,  and  the  bright  blaze  shoots  up  among  the 
trees,  and  throws  a  dull  ruddy  glow  across  the  surface 
of  the  water.  Morning  comes  at  length,  ushered  in, 
before  night  has  yet  departed,  by  the  strong  shrill  cry 
of  the  great  fish  eagle  as  he  sits  on  the  topmost  bough 
of  some  forest  tree,  and  at  measured  periods  repeats 
his  quivering  and  unearthly  yell,  like  an  evil  spirit 
calling.  But  hark,  at  that  dull  low  note  of  indescrib- 
able pain  and  suffering!— long  and  heavy  it  swells 
and  dies  away.  It  is  the  devil-bird  ;  and  whoever 
sees  that  bird  must  surely  die  soon  after,  according  to 
Cingalese  superstition. 

A  more  cheering  sound  charms  the  ear  as  the 
grey  tint  of  morning  makes  the  stars  grow  pale :  clear 
rich  notes,  now  prolonged  and  full,  now  plaintive  and 
low,  set  the  example  to  other  singing  birds,  as  the 
Bulbul,  first  to  wake,  proclaims  the  morning.  Wild 
jungle-like  songs  the  birds  indulge  in  ;  not  like  our 


CHAP.  xiii.  THE  DEVIL-BIRD.  369 

steady  thrushes  of  Old  England,  but  charming  in  their 
quaintness.  The  jungle  partridge  now  wakes  up,  and 
with  his  loud  cry  subdues  all  other  sounds,  until  the 
numerous  peacocks,  perched  on  the  high  trees  around 
the  lake,  commence  their  discordant  yells. 

The  name  for  the  devil-bird  is  *  Gualama,'  and  so 
impressed  are  the  natives  with  the  belief  that  a  sight 
of  it  is  equivalent  to  a  call  to  the  nether  world,  that 
they  sometimes  die  from  sheer  fright  and  nervousness. 
A  case  of  this  happened  to  a  servant  of  a  friend  of 
mine.  He  chanced  to  see  the  creature  sitting  on  a 
bough,  and  he  was  from  that  moment  so  satisfied  of 
his  inevitable  fate,  that  he  refused  all  food,  and  fretted, 
and  died  ;  as  of  course  any  one  else  must  do,  if 
starved,  whether  he  saw  the  devil-bird  or  not. 

Although  I  have  heard  the  curious  mournful  cry  of 
this  creature  nearly  every  night,  I  have  never  seen  one  ; 
— this  is  easily  accounted  for,  as  being  a  night  bird  it 
remains  concealed  in  the  jungle  during  the  day.  In 
so  densely  wooded  a  country  as  Ceylon  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  that  owls  and  all  other  birds  of  similar 
habits  are  rarely  met  with.  I  have  never  seen  more 
than  two  woodcocks  during  my  residence  in  the 
island. 

From  the  same  cause  many  interesting  animals 
pass  unobserved,  although  they  are  very  numerous. 
The  porcupine,  although  as  common  as  the  hedgehog 
in  England,  is  very  seldom  seen.     Likewise  the  manis 


37©  EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xiii. 

or  great  scaled  ant-eater,  who  retires  to  his  hole  before 
break  of  day,  is  never  met  with  by  daylight.  Indeed 
I  have  had  some  trouble  in  persuading  many  persons 
in  Ceylon  that  such  an  animal  exists  in  the  country. 

In  the  same  manner  the  larger  kind  of  serpents 
conceal  themselves  by  day,  and  wander  forth  at  night, 
like  all  other  reptiles  except  the  smaller  species  of 
lizard,  of  which  we  have  in  Ceylon  an  immense 
variety. 

Of  this  tribe  the  '  cabra  goya  '  and  the  *  iguana  ' 
grow  to  a  large  size  :  the  former  I  have  killed  as  long 
as  eight  or  nine  feet,  but  the  latter  seldom  exceeds 
four.  I  have  often  intended  to  eat  one,  as  the  natives 
consider  them  a  great  delicacy,  but  I  have  never  been 
quite  hungry  enough  to  make  the  trial  whenever  one 
was  at  hand.  The  '  cabra  goya '  is  a  horrid  reptile, 
and  is  not  considered  eatable  even  by  the  Cingalese. 

One  curious  species  of  lizard  exists  in  Ceylon :  it 
is  a  little  brown  species  with  a  peculiarly  rough  skin 
and  a  serrated  spine.  A  long  horn  projects  from  the 
snout,  and  it  is  a  fac-simile  in  miniature  of  the  ante- 
diluvian monster  the  '  iguanodon,'  who  was  about  a 
hundred  feet  long  and  twelve  feet  thick. 

Crocodiles  attain  an  immense  size,  and  it  has  fre- 
quently surprised  me  that  they  do  not  upset  the  small 
canoes  in  which  the  natives  paddle  about  the  lakes 
and  rivers.  These  are  formed  in  tiie  simplest  manner 
of  very  rude   materials    by   hollowing  out   a   log   of 


CHAP.  XIII.  OUTRIGGER   CANOES.  371 

wood,  and  attaching  an  outrigger.  Some  of  these 
are  so  small  that  the  gunwale  is  close  to  the  water's 
edge  when  containing  only  one  person. 

Even  the  large  sea-canoes  are  constructed  on  a 
similar  principle  ;  but  they  are  very  wonderful  boats 
for  both  speed  and  safety. 

A  simple  log  of  about  thirty  feet  in  length  is 
hollowed  out.  This  is  tapered  off  at  either  end  so  as 
to  form  a  kind  of  prow.  The  cylindrical  shape  of  the 
log  is  preserved  as  much  as  possible  in  the  process  of 
hollowing,  so  that  no  more  than  a  section  of  one 
fourth  of  the  circle  is  pared  away  upon  the  upper  side. 

Upon  the  edges  of  this  aperture,  the  top-sides  of 
the  canoe  are  formed  by  simple  planks,  which  are 
merely  sewn  upon  the  main  body  of  the  log  parallel 
to  each  other,  slightly  inclining  outwards,  so  as  to 
admit  the  legs  of  persons  when  sitting. 

A  vessel  of  this  kind  would  of  course  capsize  im- 
mediately, as  the  top  weight  of  the  upper  works  would 
overturn  the  flute-like  body  upon  which  they  rested. 
This  is  prevented  by  an  outrigger,  formed  of  elastic 
rods  of  tough  wood  firmly  bound  together,  which  pro- 
jects at  right  angles  from  the  upper  works.  At  the 
extremity  of  two  rods,  there  is  a  tapering  log  of  light 
wood,  which  very  much  resembles  the  bottom  log  of 
the  canoe  in  miniature.  This,  floating  on  the  water, 
balances  the  canoe  in  an  upright  position  ; — it  cannot 
be  upset  until  some  force  is  exerted  upon  the   mast 


372 


EIGHT    YEARS  IN  CEYLON. 


CHAP.   Xlll. 


which  is  either  sufficient  to  lift  the  outrigger  out  of  t'ne 
water,  or  on  the  other  hand  to  sink  it  altogether, 
either  accident  being  prevented  by  the  great  leverage 
required.  Thus  when  a  heavy  breeze  sends  the  little 
vessel  flying  like  a  swallow  over  the  waves,  and  the 
outrigger  to  windward  shows  symptoms  of  lifting,  a 
man  runs  out  upon  the  connecting  rod,  and  squatting 
upon  the  outrigger  adds  his  weight  to  the  leverage. 
Two  long  bamboos,  spreading  like  a  letter  V  from  the 
bottom  of  the  canoe,  form  the  masts,  and  support  a 
single  square  sail,  which  is  immensely  large  in  propor- 
tion to  the  size  and  weight  of  the  vessel. 


The  motion  of  these  canoes  under  a  stiff  breeze  is 
most  delightful ;  there  is  a  total  absence  of  rolling, 
which  is  prevented  by  the  outrigger,  and  the  steadi- 
ness of  their  course  under  a  press  of  sail  is  very   re- 


CHAP.  xiii.         LAST   GLIMPSE    OF  CEYLON.  373 

markable.  I  have  been  in  these  boats  in  a  considerable 
surf,  through  which  they  fly  Hke  a  fish  ;  and  if  the 
beach  is  sandy,  and  the  inclination  favourable,  their 
own  impetus  will  carry  them  high  and  dry. 

Seiving  the  portions  of  a  boat  together,  appears  ill 
adapted  to  purposes  of  strength  ;  but  all  the  Cingalese 
vessels  are  constructed  upon  this  principle :  the  two 
edges  of  the  planks  being  brought  together,  a  strip  of 
the  areca  palm  stem  is  laid  over  the  joints,  and  holes 
being  drilled  upon  each  plank,  the  sewing  is  drawn 
tightly  over  the  lath  of  palm  ;  this  being  thickly 
smeared  with  a  kind  of  pitch,  keeps  the  seams  per- 
fectly water-tight.  The  native  dhonies,  which  are 
vessels  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  tons,  are  all  fastened  in 
this  simple  and  apparently  fragile  manner  ;  neverthe- 
less they  are  excellent  sea  boats,  and  ride  in  safety 
through  many  a  gale  of  wind. 

The  first  moving  object  which  met  my  view  on 
arrival  within  sight  of  Ceylon  was  an  outrigger  canoe, 
which  shot  past  our  vessel  as  if  we  had  been  at  anchor. 

The  last  object  that  my  eyes  rested  on,  as  the  tall 
cocoa-nut  trees  of  Ceylon  faded  from  sight,  was  again 
the  native  canoe,  which  took  the  farewell  lines  to 
those  who  were  left  behind.  Upon  this  I  gazed  till  it 
became  a  grey  speck  upon  the  horizon,  and  the  green 
shores  of  the  eastern  paradise  faded  from  my  eyes  for 
ever. 


<% 


C  C 


374  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.  chap.  xiii. 

How  little  did  I  imagine  when  these  pages  were 
commenced  in  Ceylon,  that  their  conclusion  would  be 
written  in  England  ! 

An  unfortunate  shooting  trip  to  one  of  the  most 
unhealthy  parts  of  the  country,  killed  my  old  horse 
*  Jack,'  one  coolie,  and  very  nearly  extinguished  me, 
rendering  it  imperative  that  I  should  seek  a  change  of 
climate  in  England.  And  what  a  dream-like  change 
it  is! — past  events  appear  unreal,  and  the  last  few 
years  seem,  to  have  escaped  from  the  connecting  chain 
of  former  life.  Scarcely  can  I  believe  in  the  bygone 
days  of  glorious  freedom,  when  I  wandered  through 
that  beautiful  country,  unfettered  by  the  laws  or  cus- 
toms of  conventional  life. 

The  white  cliffs  of  Old  England  rose  hazily  on  the 
horizon,  and  greeted  many  anxious  eyes  as  the  vessel 
rushed  proudly  on,  with  her  decks  thronged  with  a 
living  freight,  all  happy  as  children  in  the  thoughts  of 
home.  The  sun  shone  brightly,  and  gave  a  warm 
welcome  on  our  arrival ;  and  as  the  steamer  moored 
alongside  the  quay,  an  hour  sufficed  to  scatter  the 
host  of  passengers  who  had  so  closely  dwelt  together, 
as  completely  as  the  audience  of  a  theatre  when  the 
curtain  falls.  That  act  of  life  is  past,  *  exeunt  omnes* 
and  a  new  scene  commences.     We  are  in  England ! 

A  sudden  change  necessarily  induces  a  compari- 
son, and  I  imagine  tiiere  are  few  who  have  dwelt 
much  among  the  tropics  who  do  not  acquire  a  dis- 


CHAP,  xiri.  A    GLANCE  AT  OLD   TIMES.  375 

taste  for  the  English  climate,  and  look  back  with 
lingering  hopes  to  the  verdant  shores  they  have  left 
so  far  behind.  The  recollection  of  vanished  years, 
which  seem  to  have  been  the  summer  of  life,  makes 
the  chill  of  the  present  feel  doubly  cold,  and  our 
thoughts  still  cling  to  the  past,  while  we  strive 
against  the  belief  that  we  never  can  recall  those  days 
again. 

How,  as  my  thoughts  wander  back  to  former 
scenes,  every  mountain  and  valley  reappears  in  the 
magic  glass  of  memory  !  Every  rock  and  dell,  every 
old  twisted  stem,  every  dark  ravine  and  wooded  cliff, 
the  distant  outlines  of  the  well-known  hills,  the  jungle 
paths  known  to  my  eye  alone,  and  the  far,  still  spots 
where  I  have  often  sat  in  solitude,  and  pondered  over 
the  events  of  life,  and  conjured  up  the  faces  of  those 
so  far  away ;  doubtful  if  we  should  ever  meet  again. 
Thus  even  now  I  picture  to  myself  the  past ;  and  so 
vivid  is  the  scene  that  I  can  almost  hear  the  fancied 
roar  of  the  old  waterfalls,  and  see  the  shadowy  tints 
which  the  evening  sun  throws  upon  the  tree  tops. 
My  old  home  rises  before  me  like  a  dissolving  view, 
and  I  can  see  the  very  spot  where  it  was  my  delight 
to  live,  where  a  warrn  welcome  awaited  every  friend. 
And,  lastly,  the  faces  of  those  friends  seem  clear 
before  me,  and  bring  back  the  associations  of  old 
times.  Those  who  have  shared  in  common  many  of 
these  scenes,  I  trust  to  meet  ^gain,  and  look  back 


376  EIGHT   YEARS  IN  CEYLON.         chap.  xiii. 

Upon  the  events  of  former  days  as  landscapes  on  the 
road  of  life  that  we  have  viewed  together.' 

For  me  Ceylon  has  always  had  a  charm,  and  I 
shall  ever  retain  a  vivid  interest  in  the  colony. 

I  trust  that  a  new  and  more  prosperous  era  has 
commenced,  and  that  Ceylon  having  shaken  off  the 
incubus  of  mismanagement,  may,  under  the  rule  of  a 
vigorous  and  enterprising  governor,  arrive  at  that 
prosperity  to  which  she  is  entitled  by  her  capabilities. 

The  governor  recently  appointed  (Sir  H.  Ward) 
has  a  task  before  him  which  his  well-known  energy 
will  doubtless  enable  him  to  perform. 

•  It  is  a  deep  satisfaction   that   the   early   friendships  fonmed   in 
Ceylon  have  endured  through  life. 


Printed  by  Ballantvne,  Hanson  jSt*  Co. 
Edinburgh  «&*  London 


^Jl 


^^'^^~^m 


